Thomas Aquinas College Lectures & Talks

"Thucydides as a Philosopher", a Tutor Talk given by tutor Dr. John McCarthy at Thomas Aquinas College, New England, on March 18, 2026.

"Thucydides as a Philosopher", a Tutor Talk given by tutor Dr. John McCarthy at Thomas Aquinas College, New England, on March 18, 2026.

Dr. John Nieto ('89), a tutor at Thomas Aquinas College, California, gave this informal talk on wisdom to the men of campus in St. Peter & Paul's Hall on February 27. 2026.

"Rational Mind and Non-Rational Agency: Aquinas’ Augustinian Account of the Sinning Will & the Hierarchy of the Soul", a lecture given by Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis at Thomas Aquinas College, New England, on February 27, 2026. Part of Thomas Aquinas College's St. Vincent de Paul Lecture and Concert Series.

Dr. Adam Seagrave ('05) gives the annual President's Day lecture at Thomas Aquinas College, California, on February 20, 2026, entitled “God Willing: How the Idea of Divine Providence Shaped the Careers of John Brown, Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln”.

"Foreign Policy Principles Underlining the Constitution" by Dr. Thomas West of Hillsdale College. Given for President's Day 2026 at Thomas Aquinas College, New England.

Can artificial intelligence really think, understand, or know anything at all?

And if not, what does our relationship with AI reveal about who we are as human beings?

In this tenth and final episode of The Mind and the Machine: Aquinas on AI, philosopher Dr. Michael Augros (Thomas Aquinas College) brings the series to a close by exploring the deeper human and philosophical implications of artificial intelligence.

Building on the conclusions of the previous nine videos, this episode argues that AI does not truly think, understand, or perform any real cognitive act. From there, it asks five crucial follow-up questions that shape how we should live with and use AI:

• How should we talk about what AI does?

• Are human beings superior or inferior to AI?

• Is AI a tool, assistant, teacher, or something else entirely?

• What can comparing AI to ourselves teach us about human cognition?

• Will AI ultimately promote or suppress human goods like wisdom, creativity, freedom, friendship, art, and science?

Drawing on Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, Dr. Augros explains why human beings are essentially and permanently different from AI systems, even the most advanced large language models. He clarifies why AI is best understood as an instrument and extension of human intelligence, not a new kind of living or thinking being.

This episode also examines:

• Why AI can outperform humans in speed, precision, and data processing without possessing intelligence

• The dangers of anthropomorphizing AI as a “friend” or “teacher”

• Why human creativity, wisdom, and genuine understanding cannot be automated

• How AI may ultimately clarify what is truly human rather than replace it

Whether you are interested in AI ethics, philosophy of mind, Aquinas, Aristotle, technology and humanity, or the future of artificial intelligence, this final lecture offers a rigorous and deeply human framework for understanding AI without hype or fear.

This concludes the full lecture series: The Mind and the Machine: Aquinas on AI.

Original score for the YouTube limited series "The Mind and the Machine" a production of Thomas Aquinas College, original score composed by Richard Goforth, produced by Douglas Cummins and executive producers Chris Weinkopf and John Goyette.

Watch the series at ThomasAquinas.edu/Mind

Original score for the YouTube limited series "The Mind and the Machine" a production of Thomas Aquinas College, original score composed by Richard Goforth, produced by Douglas Cummins and executive producers Chris Weinkopf and John Goyette.

Watch the series at ThomasAquinas.edu/Mind

Original score for the YouTube limited series "The Mind and the Machine" a production of Thomas Aquinas College, original score composed by Richard Goforth, produced by Douglas Cummins and executive producers Chris Weinkopf and John Goyette.

Watch the series at ThomasAquinas.edu/Mind