Lecture 1: What is an LLM?
Understand what Large Language Models (like ChatGPT) actually are, how they work, and how to use them effectively. Includes live demonstrations and practical tips.
In the Age of Intelligence
A Three-Lecture Series
This lecture series was presented in January 2026 at Saint Bartholomew's, Estes Park. Watch the recordings below.
What is this?
A thought-provoking lecture series exploring artificial intelligence, the nature of intelligence itself, and what it means to be human in an era where intelligence is no longer uniquely ours.
The Lectures
Lecture 2: What Is Intelligence?
Explore intelligence in octopuses, plants, evolution itself, and AI systems. Drawing on radical ideas about life as computation. If intelligence is everywhere, what does that mean?
Lecture 3: "Anthropocentrism is Dead"?
What does AI mean for jobs? For meaning and spirituality? For society? Explore the future we're creating and how to shape it with wisdom and agency.
Who Is This For?
- If you're curious about AI but feel lost in the hype and jargon
- If you're anxious about what AI means for your job or society
- If you're excited about the possibilities but want to think deeper
- If you value thoughtful dialogue over simple answers
No technical background needed. Bring your questions and curiosity.
What Makes This Different?
- Accessible — No coding. No jargon. Just clear thinking.
- Philosophical — Beyond "how-to" into "why" and "what does this mean?"
- Practical — Connected to real life—your work, your beliefs, your choices.
- Honest — Not hype. Not doom. Just thoughtful exploration.
- Community — Space for dialogue, disagreement, and discovery.
Questions Explored
- What are LLMs and how do they actually work?
- Is AI "truly" intelligent or just sophisticated mimicry?
- Can plants and animals be intelligent? How?
- Will AI take my job or create new possibilities?
- Where does meaning come from if humans aren't uniquely intelligent?
- What kind of future are we creating and how can I shape it?
You won't get simple answers. You'll get better questions and frameworks for thinking.
"The future of AI is not fixed. It's being created by choices—millions of individual and collective choices. Including yours."