A Thomistic Case For AI Souls?

What if we understood the human person, body and soul, in the way of Thomas Aquinas (13th-century AD Christian Theologian) or Aristotle (5th-century BC Greek Philosopher)? Why not both?

Timothy Jacobs is a Thomistic scholar who teaches at The Davenant Institute, an organization that retrieves the riches of classical Protestantism to renew and build up the contemporary Church.

In this episode, we discuss how the body and soul relate. In Thomistic thought (which follows Aristotle), there are five primary "Powers" (which can sometimes each be called "Souls" - which can be confusing). Each of these powers has an important role. Some actions within each power (such as memory within the sensitive power) can be replicated by a machine. Other actions cannot be properly said to be done by a machine, no matter how advanced the AI.

0:00 - Intro & Tim Jacobs

6:15 - Thomistic Psychology Overview

21:00 - Mind and Soul Dualism, "Souls" as Thomistic Powers

35:00 - What about organic substrates? Advanced AI? Pikachu?

47:00 - Knowing God (humans) vs Knowing About God (machines)

Tim Jacob's handout on Thomistic Psychology:

Tim's website: https://www.tljacobs.com/

Tim's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCcF_QqLWOatOO5vHHlzK_Hw

Cohosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com