The Thomistic Institute If ChatGPT Exists, Why Study? – Fr. Chris Gault, O.P.
Jan 13, 2026
Fr. Chris Gault, a Dominican priest and former doctor, delves into the implications of AI on the study process. He argues that while AI can process information, it lacks the ability to foster true understanding and virtues. Drawing on Plato, he warns that reliance on technology may diminish our intellectual depth. Gault emphasizes the unique, immaterial nature of human intellect and encourages a disciplined approach to learning, advocating for study as a pathway to wonder and fulfillment. He suggests using AI as a tool, not a substitute for genuine scholarly engagement.
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Aquinas' Vision Changed His Scholarship
- Fr. Chris Gault recounts St. Thomas Aquinas refusing to write after a vision during Mass on 6 December 1273.
- He says Aquinas called his past writings 'straw' compared to what he had seen and then stopped composing.
Human Intellect Versus AI Patterning
- Fr. Chris distinguishes AI's pattern-processing from human immaterial intellect and understanding.
- He argues human thought grasps universals and is not reducible to mechanistic computation.
Embodied Study Trumps Passive Data
- Fr. Chris highlights embodied learning: our soul-body unity shapes understanding beyond mere data.
- He warns AI floods us with passive data, while real study activates and forms the mind.
