Can Machines Make Art?

In this seminar, Professor Gareth Williams (Columbia) explores how the Roman philosopher-politician, Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 2 BCE-65 CE), reflects in his Latin philosophical writings on the value of time in life, the importance of dwelling on the fact of our mortality through the different stages of our existence, and on how that perspective affects our ethical life-choices and outlook. Seneca was of course a privileged member of an aristocratic class in a slave society, and his life-reflections therefore presuppose an elite modus vivendi. But how might his writings still inform our own 21st-century lives in an age of AI, deep social unrest, economic stresses, and the hyper-speed of our existence?On Wednesday, October 14, at 6 PM, Morningside welcomed Dr. Gareth Williams (Columbia) for this talk on Seneca and time as the second part of our Great Books for the Age of AI series. Seneca on Time & Mortality Gareth Williams Download

The rise of AI has revived longstanding debates about the nature of art and the roles the mind, the body, and the soul play in the creative act. In some ways, moreover, AI seems to be changing the terms of those debates. David Hajdu, professor of journalism at Columbia and music critic of The Nation, asks, “What's wrong with slop?”On Wednesday, February 4, at 6 PM, Morningside welcomed David Hajdu (Columbia) for a dinner discussion of the nature of art. Can Machines Make Art? David Hajdu Download

Russian cultural history can be described as the conflict between the radical intellectuals, who imagined they had the ideological key to life and society, and the great writers, who viewed the world as far too complex for any single solution. It was the confrontation of certainty with wonder. The radical intelligentsia seized control in 1917, and from that time on, the great writers faced a totalitarian regime. The very extremity of their situation allowed them to address life’s ultimate questions—already the concern of the pre-revolutionary writers—in a new, illuminating way.On Thursday, September 11, at 6 p.m. Morningside and the Galileo Center at the Columbia Law School welcomed Gary Saul Morson (Northwestern) for a lecture on that dialogue of wonder and drawing a few lessons for intellectuals today. Wonder Confronts Certainty, Then and Now Gary Saul Morson Download

Solidarity is a much-used, not to say over-used, slogan these days, both in Catholic Social Teaching and in popular activism. Does it have a clear meaning or is it just an emotive term? In this lecture, Rowan Williams argues that in the context of Christian theology, as St. Augustine's City of God suggests, it does indeed have a strong and distinctive meaning that challenges a lot of what we (Christians and others) assume about human life in society today, raising questions about the common good, common work, and the risks of looking for common enemies.On Monday, September 8, Morningside and the Earl Hall Center for Religious Life at Columbia welcomed the Rt. Rev. Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, for a lecture on solidarity and the City of God in Columbia University’s Pulitzer Hall lecture room. Solidarity, Communion, and the City of God: Rowan Williams Rowan Williams Download Watch the talk’s live-stream: https://youtu.be/AigmPsVWSD8

In her talk, “Remembering America: The High Stakes of Memory and Moral Imagination in Civic Life,” Angel Adams Parham explores how narratives of the American past, especially those concerning slavery and racial segregation, influence civic unity. She proposes the "integrated blues mode" as a new way to approach American history, which acknowledges the difficult aspects of the past while working towards reconciliation. Parham contrasts this with the "nefarious origins" and "triumph of ideals" perspectives. She illustrates these ideas through local examples from St. Francisville, St. Augustine, and New Orleans, highlighting the importance of engaging with complex histories at a community level. Ultimately, Parham advocates for a nuanced historical understanding that embraces both the challenges and positive aspects of the past to foster civic friendship and a more inclusive American identity.The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well. Remembering America: The High Stakes of Memory and Moral Imagination in Civic Life Angel Adams Parham Download

In his talk, Antón Barba-Kay probes how the logics of the digital world—endless choice, algorithmic optimization, and a veneer of neutrality—quietly erode the habits of judgment and shared reality that democracy depends on. He contrasts two futures: one that doubles down on engineering our information streams for “better” engagement, and another that rebuilds the slow disciplines of literacy, critical reading, and face-to-face deliberation. Arguing that democratic life cannot be outsourced to technical fixes, Barba-Kay calls for cultivating resilient publics capable of resisting the seductive efficiencies of digital culture while reclaiming a richer, more responsible form of self-government. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well. These United States of Books: What Democracy Will Endure Its Digitalization? Antón Barba-Kay Download

In his talk, “Demography, Religion, and the Eight-Billion Body Problem," Stephen Bullivant delves into the complex interplay between declining fertility rates, evolving religious landscapes, and shifting societal values, particularly in America. He explores how these interconnected trends are reshaping demographics, impacting the economy, and influencing geopolitics. Bullivant examines the rise of non-religious individuals, the role of immigration, and the significant challenges posed by an aging population, arguing that declining birth rates are linked to both decreasing religiosity and changes in values like patriotism and community involvement. While demographic shifts offer some predictability, Bullivant highlights the uncertain long-term consequences of these profound societal changes. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well. Demography, Religion, and the Eight-Billion Body Problem Stephen Bullivant Download

In her talk at Living Well at the End of a World, Sarah Shortall examines the experiences of French Jesuit priests during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period marked by anti-clericalism and exile, and how these crises led to a revolution in Catholic theology known as the Nouvelle Théologie. Forced out of France, the Jesuits found themselves on the island of Jersey, where they rethought the Church’s role in public life within a modern, secular context, with key figures like Henri de Lubac and Gaston Fessard leading a “spiritual resistance" to fascism during World War II. Shortall draws parallels to our current moment of transition, suggesting we can learn from the French Jesuits’ ability to adapt to modernity and maintain a critical distance from political entanglements.The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well. Soldiers of God in a Secular World: The French Jesuits Between the Anticlerical Campaign and the Ris Sarah Shortall Download

In this talk at Living Well at the End of a World, James Hankins draws parallels between our contemporary anxieties about civilizational decline and the late medieval Renaissance period, specifically the 14th and 15th centuries, which also faced profound institutional crises. He highlights the humanist movement, spearheaded by Petrarch, as a historical response that sought societal reform by fostering virtue and wisdom in leaders through a renewed emphasis on classical learning. Hankins argues that the Renaissance represented a radical re-centering of civilization, advocating for a meritocratic leadership grounded in moral excellence and a commitment to community welfare.The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well. Restoring Classical Civilization in the Renaissance James Hankins Download

In his talk at Living Well at the End of a World, Bishop Erik Varden discusses the end of our “internal world”—the microcosm of human life—at the deathbed and the monastic venture to confront death and live well in the face of its inevitable appearance. Using the vita of Antony the Great by St. Athanasius as his exemplar par excellence of the monastic life, he discusses the creative subversion with which monasticism has repeatedly revitalized western civilization. He finally urges modern man toward the prayerful purpose, patient perseverance, and vicarious love that can reignite communal hope and purpose.The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well. Monastic Culture as Creative Subversion Bishop Erik Varden Download