AI and the Great Books
At the Cosmos Institute and St. John’s College symposium AI and the Development of Human Capacities, the question was clear: will today’s algorithmic tools deepen sustained inquiry and genuine understanding, or risk turning minds off and hollowing out education? The panel asked what becomes of the Great Books when machines can write. Some argued authorship itself defines greatness: to read Augustine or Shelley is to meet a mind, not just a text. Others suggested AI novels might be “great” on their own terms if coherence outweighs biography. For education, Humboldt’s vision of self-cultivation still matters—AI tutors can widen access but risk echo chambers unless grounded in community. The call was to build with purpose: technology and the Great Books are entangled, and the tools we create will shape tomorrow’s intellectual life.
