"Anthropocentrism is Dead"?

Overview

If intelligence isn't uniquely human, what does that mean for us? For our jobs, our sense of meaning, our spirituality, our society?

This final lecture moves from understanding to action. We'll honestly assess both the challenges and the possibilities, and explore how to shape the future we're creating.

What We'll Cover

Jobs in the World of AI

What will AI actually do to work? We'll look at the evidence, separate hype from reality, and discuss how to navigate professional uncertainty.

Meaning and Spirituality

If humans aren't uniquely intelligent, where does meaning come from? We'll explore how to find purpose and significance in a world of many minds.

Society and Governance

How should we govern these technologies? What kind of future are we creating? We'll examine the choices before us—individual and collective.

Grounded Hope

Neither naive optimism nor apocalyptic despair. We'll work toward a realistic hope based on evidence, agency, and the recognition that the future isn't fixed.

Questions We'll Explore

• Will AI take my job? How should I prepare?
• Where does meaning come from if humans aren't uniquely intelligent?
• What kind of future are we creating?
• How can I have agency in shaping that future?
• What does human flourishing look like in the age of AI?

A Note on the Title

The question mark is intentional. This lecture won't tell you what to believe. Instead, we'll explore the question together—what it would mean if anthropocentrism were dead, and what it means if it isn't.

The goal is not to convince, but to think clearly about one of the most important questions of our time.