New
New
Lesson 4 of 4
  • Year 11

The future of being human

I can explain how rapid technological change is shaping the future of being human and how people with different worldviews might respond to this.

Lesson 4 of 4
New
New
  • Year 11

The future of being human

I can explain how rapid technological change is shaping the future of being human and how people with different worldviews might respond to this.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. We are living through a period of unprecedented technological change.
  2. The speed of change can be seen in the growth of the online world, AI and advances in robotic technology.
  3. This raises philosphical and theological questions about what it is to be human and how we relate to each other.
  4. People with different religions and worldviews may have concerns or see opportunities in this possible future.

Keywords

  • Consciousness - the state of being aware of and able to think about one's existence, thoughts and surroundings

  • Human - a conscious and sentient member of the species Homo sapiens capable of language, culture and complex social interaction

  • Technology - tools, machines, or systems that humans create to solve problems or extend what they can do

Common misconception

Students may think technological change is mainly about new devices.

Technological change isn’t just about creating new devices. As technology becomes more closely linked with human bodies and daily life, it can influence how people see themselves and their abilities.


To help you plan your year 11 religious education lesson on: The future of being human, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use quick comparisons between real technologies and the human abilities they imitate. For example, facial recognition and human face recognition, predictive text and human language intuition, navigation apps and human spatial memory.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

5 Questions

Q1.
Dyes and fragrances are examples of artificial .

Correct Answer: materials, Materials

Q2.
Where might robots be used?

Correct answer: homes, workplaces and medicine
only in science labs
only in space

Q3.
The novel, 'Klara and the Sun' explores whether robots can have .

Correct Answer: consciousness, Consciousness

Q4.
Conscious beings can reflect and make .

Correct Answer: decisions, Decisions

Q5.
Why might robot behaviour be misleading?

it is random
it is emotional
Correct answer: it is programmed

Assessment exit quiz

5 Questions

Q1.
Match each keyword to its meaning:

Correct Answer:consciousness,the state of being aware of and able to think about one's existence

the state of being aware of and able to think about one's existence

Correct Answer:human,a conscious and sentient member of the species Homo sapiens

a conscious and sentient member of the species Homo sapiens

Correct Answer:technology,tools, machines, or systems that humans create to solve problems

tools, machines, or systems that humans create to solve problems

Q2.
New may change how humans think in the future.

Correct Answer: technologies, Technologies, technology

Q3.
What is a possible drawback of heavy technology use?

increased empathy
Correct answer: reduced direct experience
stronger personal relationships

Q4.
Why do religious worldviews value humans?

humans are intelligent
humans are efficient
Correct answer: humans are created by God

Q5.
Technology may change what it means to be .

Correct Answer: human, Human