Living Well with AI–Exploring Prospects for Human Flourishing
Kirk Philosophy Lecture Series for 2026-27
Symposium Overview:
The question of human flourishing has taken on renewed significance as technologies transform our relationships with others and ourselves. We are now confronted with a dizzying array of artificial agents as we go about our day-to-day lives. We may interact with such agents as recommender systems, internet search engines, teachers, therapists, friends, and even lovers. But as so often happens in the development of new technologies, we find ourselves doing things because we can and not because they genuinely serve our higher aspirations, needs, and goals.
Rather than asking whether and how human intelligence might be realized in artificial agents, this lecture series will bring together scholars, students, and the public to explore concepts such as human agency, autonomy of will, psychological well-being, freedom, purpose, and authenticity in light of our growing interactions with artificial agents. The aim is to rethink the nature and meaning of these concepts, to investigate their relation to human flourishing, and to use this dialogue to discern future possibilities for “living well with AI.”
Opening Keynote: Karen Hao, Empire of AI (Journalist)
Topic: Dreams & Nightmares in the Empire of AI – examining systems of power and AI development, prospects for democratic governance and data sovereignty, and AI in service of the public good.
Location: This is a hybrid event — Attend in person or virtually. Keynote speaker Karen Hao will join us live virtually.
To attend in-person:
Agnes Scott College
Campbell Hall, C-Frances Bailey Graves Auditorium (Rm 128)
141 East College Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030
Register for the livestream webinar.
Speaker: Robyn Fivush, PhD (Developmental Psychology, Emory University)
Topic: Family Storytelling and Adolescent Well-being in an AI World – how interactive storytelling with family members scaffolds resilience and how AI can facilitate or hinder those interactions.
Location: Agnes Scott College, room to be announced
Speaker: John Lysaker, PhD (Moral Philosophy, Emory University)
Topic: The Content of Our Character – exploring the intersections of moral growth, integrity, and our increasing interactions with AI systems.
Location: Agnes Scott College, room to be announced
Speaker: Paul B. Sharp, PhD (Computational Neuroscience, Bar-Ilan University)
Topic: Why We Worry the Way We Do - using AI combined with individual life histories to explain the nature of repetitive thoughts.
Location: Agnes Scott College, room to be announced
Speaker: Joel G. Thomas, PhD (Clinical Psychology, Agnes Scott College)
Topic: Relational Agency in the Age of AI – how humans construct meaning and grow in a psychological sense, and what this means for interactions with AI systems as friends or therapists.
Location: Agnes Scott College, room to be announced
