Inside the Mind of a Dog: The Beautiful Fruit of Mortality

In this Inside the Mind of a Dog Christian Review, the intriguing Netflix documentary we are sharing on Screen Devotions is Inside the Mind of a Dog. Actually, while watching this documentary, I had a genuine question right from the start. If you literally translate the Korean Netflix title (“개는 왜 개일까”), it would be something like, “Why is a dog a dog?”

So, looking only at the Korean title initially, I thought, “Is this a documentary showing the philosophical identity of a puppy?” However, when I looked at the original English title, Inside the Mind of a Dog, it had a completely different meaning. I am not exactly sure why the translator gave it such a Korean title, but anyway, I watched the documentary keeping the meaning of the original English title in mind.

This work covers the numerous studies on a dog’s thoughts conducted since ancient times, as well as the deep interactions between dogs and humans today. In particular, the dedicated processes where a dog enters a training kindergarten at 8 weeks old, receives training, and finally, each dog is placed into the home of a person in need, are impressively captured.

Actually, I also have a Miniature Schnauzer named ‘Habin’ back in South Korea. Since we first met in 2016, a very long time of 10 years has already passed as of writing this. Habin was happiest when with me and followed my words the best. Therefore, it was perhaps only natural that I fell into far more thoughts and emotions while watching this documentary.

The Amazing Dedication of Dogs and the Approaching Era of AI Robots

When you watch the documentary, you can see that the history of dogs living alongside humans is remarkably long. Today, dogs are highly active in numerous fields, such as drug detection, crime detection, and search and rescue in disaster zones. Above all, something even I didn’t know—that they can even detect human ‘cancer’ through scent—was truly astonishing.

However, watching the documentary, I fell into a very deep dilemma. “What will happen if these dogs, who devotedly help alongside humans, are later replaced by highly advanced AI robots?”

Some people might counter, “Robots cannot interact emotionally with humans.” But that is no longer true. Looking at the current speed of AI development, people are already sharing their hearts with AI, and AI is perfectly responding to their conversations. If you search the internet, you can even find people marrying AI. The idea that interaction is impossible is a thing of the past. Moreover, AI neither ages nor dies. You only need to charge the battery and replace broken parts, and it can help people permanently. An era is approaching where robots can more perfectly replace everything a dog does.

Memories from Military Service and the Finitude of Life

The most important point to consider is that dogs, like humans, have a finite ‘lifespan.’ They cannot live by our side forever. Even dogs that devote their entire lives to humans eventually age, grow weak, and face death. Military dogs working excellently in the army, and search and rescue dogs dedicating themselves at fire stations, all eventually face discharge and retirement when the time comes.

When I was serving in the military in South Korea, the rank of the dog (military dog) was actually higher than mine. So, it was half in jest, but the sight of myself and other soldiers respectfully saluting the dog remains vivid in my memory even now. Yet, even those dogs, who were treated so highly, eventually age, fall ill, and pass away before the limits of life. This is fundamentally different from AI robots, which can permanently have their parts swapped out. If so, what is it that makes a ‘dying dog’ better than a robot that works perfectly while living forever? Through this documentary, I deeply meditated on this question through a Christian worldview.

Like a Grain of Wheat: The Beautiful Fruit Left by Death

The answer I arrived at is this: “Because dogs, like humans, face death, they leave behind a ‘meaning’ there.” For us living in the year 2026, there is not yet a concept of a robot leaving behind any meaning when it dies. When a robot breaks down and becomes unusable, it is merely a discarded ‘piece of scrap metal’; it does not leave a deep lingering resonance or touch the hearts of other people. On the other hand, humans and dogs are far more valuable and beautiful than AI robots precisely in this aspect of ‘finitude and death.’

The Bible says in John 12:24:

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

When a dog that lived like family dies, the human family left behind weeps bitterly for that dog. Although the parting is profoundly sad, the dog that died bears the dazzling ‘fruit of memory’—the precious memories and love they shared together—and leaves it as a gift in the hearts of the family who cared for them. This is the noble fruit that life blooms through death, something the eternity of a robot can never imitate.

Wagging the Tail to the Right: The Love We Must Share

On one hand, it was quite envious to see how systematically this dog training is organized in the US, and how actively universities research and analyze dogs. Although many people in Korea also love dogs, as a dog lover, I felt a little regretful that the training systems or research environments are not as active as in the United States.

During an interview in the documentary, when asked, “Does a dog love humans?” a woman answers, “Yes. Dogs love humans too.” We must reflect deeply upon seeing these devoted dogs. If we live a finite life where we are born once and die, shouldn’t we too—like the dogs in the documentary—be trained, dedicate ourselves to others, and live a life where our death leaves a beautiful meaning and fruit for the next generation and other people?

Until the day we die, let us willingly show the most sincere help and love we can to the family, friends, and church community God has granted us. Just as a dog wags its tail to the ‘right’ in joy when it sees someone it likes, I earnestly hope that we too will become people who joyfully run toward our family, friends, and church members, freely wagging and sharing God’s immense love.

Comparative Analysis: Eternal AI Robots vs. Mortal Life

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.