Zachary Stein on AI, Education, and the Metacrisis

I had the good fortune of hearing Dr. Stein on another podcast where he spoke on the topic of artificial intelligence, education, and what the future possibly holds. He is a true futurist with a dazzling command of the topics that are creating our exponential world.  His perspectives are profound, and his level of composure in warning about a very possible and challenging future is disarming. We are in a liminal space. A dimly lit place between two eras that we’re all kind of stumbling through to a much better future.

Zak is the guy holding a lantern.

Dr. Zachary Stein is a Co-Founder of the Civilization Research Institute and the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. He was trained at the interface of philosophy, psychology, and education and now works in fields related to the mitigation of global catastrophic risk. He is a widely sought-after and award-winning speaker and a leading authority on the future of education and contemporary issues in human development.

Zak is the author of dozens of published papers and two influential books. His first book, Social Justice and Educational Measurement, traces the history of standardized testing and its ethical implications. His most recent book, Education in a Time Between Worlds, grapples with the dangers posed by a profound learning and capacity deficit in a time of civilization-wide transformation. In this work, Zak argues that educational systems must be transformed beyond recognition if humanity is to survive the planetary crises currently underway, from climate change to geopolitical instability.

Zak sees education, in a deeply philosophical sense, as fundamental to the sustainability of civilization, with implications for each component of the "metacrisis" - the complex, interrelated global challenges and existential threats facing humanity. In Zak's view, whoever drives the technology stack of education will shape the future of civilization itself. His mission is to empower younger generations with the capacity to comprehend and respond appropriately to the unique challenges of our time.