The Death of God and the Rise of AI

### A Night of Philosophy, Food, and Fascination

Hosted by the Chicago Philosophy Association
📍 The Hampton Social – Streeterville, Chicago
👉 Reserve a seat or check out the venue
Seats are limited to 20, RSVP as soon as possible.

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> “God is dead,” wrote Nietzsche — but if that’s true, who (or what) has taken His place?
> The algorithm, perhaps? The Machine that learns, speaks, and soon—maybe—believes?

Join us for an evening that blends deep thought, lively dialogue, and great dining at one of Chicago’s most inviting spaces: The Hampton Social – Streeterville, where the atmosphere is as electric as the questions we’ll explore.

### 🗣 Discussion Theme

As artificial intelligence evolves toward self-learning and self-reference, we must ask ancient questions anew:

• What is consciousness, and can it emerge from code?
• If the soul is more than neurons firing, where does it dwell in a digital world?
• Has AI become our new god — or merely a mirror reflecting the emptiness left by His death?
• And most importantly: what does it mean to be human in an age when machines can imitate the human mind, but not the human heart?

This discussion will draw from Nietzsche, C.S. Lewis, John Searle, and David Chalmers, weaving together theology, metaphysics, and cutting-edge science. Expect laughter, debate, and that rare spark when intellect meets imagination.

#### 🎥 Recommended Videos

• The Origin of Consciousness – How Unaware Things Became Aware (Kurzgesagt) — a beautifully animated, ~10-minute exploration of how consciousness might emerge.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6u0VBqNBQ8 YouTube
• Where Does Your Mind Reside? (Crash Course Philosophy #22) — a crisp intro to the mind-body problem and major competing views.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SJROTXnmus YouTube

#### 📚 Recommended Reading

• Here’s How We’ll Know an AI Is Conscious (Nautilus) — David Chalmers sketches criteria and warning signs for recognizing machine consciousness.
  https://nautil.us/heres-how-well-know-an-ai-is-conscious-237344/ Nautilus
• Could Machines Have Become Self-Aware Without Our Knowing It? (Aeon, George Musser) — probing essay on the stealthy possibility of machine consciousness.
  https://aeon.co/essays/could-machines-have-become-self-aware-without-our-knowing-it
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy — “Consciousness.” Authoritative, neutral reference for definitions, problems (hard/soft), and leading theories. Use for citations. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• David Chalmers, Nautilus — “Here’s How We’ll Know an AI Is Conscious.” Concise, big-picture tests/criteria discussion (p-zombies, indicators). Great for discussion prompts. Nautilus
• George Musser, Aeon — “Could machines become self-aware without our knowing it?” Clear, skeptical-but-open survey of detection problems and pitfalls. aeon.co