Tesla Motors, Pokémon Go, and Hair-Splitting Talmudic Arguments

Engage in a brain-twisting, mind-wrestling, hair-splitting experience as you explore modern situations and the complex dilemmas they give rise, while seeking solutions by examining original Talmudic texts

Beginning Tuesday, February 7th at 7:45 PM, Rabbi Shalom Ber Prus of Beth Menachem Chabad will offer a fascinating new six-session course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) called The Dilemma: Modern Conundrums. Talmudic Debates. Your Solutions.

In an example of one such conundrum, Tesla Motors is currently programming self-driving cars for instances when death is inevitable. Should they program the cars to swerve and avoid killing more pedestrians, but kill one whose life was previously not endangered? Should it favor the lives of pedestrians over passengers? Should it favor the lives of younger people over those who are older? And should owners be given the ability to determine these settings?

In another example relating to the recently popularized Pokémon Go mobile app: Should the game’s creators be held liable in the hundreds of cases of trespassing and damages that were incurred because of Pokémon characters negligently programmed to be found on private properties?

“The Dilemma is a mental expedition in which participants mind-wrestle with situations that force them to choose between two reasonable truths,” said Rabbi Shalom Ber Prus of Beth Menachem Chabad. “Participants analyze, discuss, and debate original Talmudic texts to solve dilemmas and get an authentic taste of dynamic Talmud study.”

“I find people love having the opportunity to engage in social discourse, particularly when it involves fascinating intellectual challenges and hot topics such as Pokémon Go and Tesla’s self-driving cars,” said Rabbi Shalom Ber Prus. “This is by far the most captivating course we’ve ever offered and I encourage everyone to attend.”

Like all JLI programs, this course is designed to appeal to people at all levels of knowledge, including those without any prior experience or background in Jewish learning. All JLI courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be affiliated with a particular synagogue or temple.

Interested students may call 617-244-1200 or visit www.jewishnewton.com/jli for registration and for other course-related information.

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JLI, the adult education branch of Chabad-Lubavitch, offers programs in more than 800 locations in the U.S. and in numerous foreign countries, including Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Panama, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Venezuela. More than 400,000 students have attended JLI classes since the organization was founded in 1998.