
Edmund Lazzari
Teaching Fellow in the Department of Catholic Studies at Duquesne University and author who researches Thomistic theology, theology and science, and extraterrestrial intelligence; delivered the lecture recorded in this episode.
Top 3 podcasts with Edmund Lazzari
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May 6, 2025 • 50min
The Trinity: The Heart of Christian Life | Dr. Edmund Lazzari
Join Dr. Edmund Lazzari, a Teaching Fellow at Duquesne University and expert in Catholic theology, as he tackles the profound complexities surrounding the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. He addresses modern criticisms that label the Trinity as overly intricate and explores the harmonious relationship between God's oneness and threeness. Delving into philosophical insights from St. Thomas Aquinas, he reveals how understanding the Trinity enriches human relationships and points toward the divine communion awaiting believers.

Nov 13, 2025 • 43min
Would St. Thomas Baptize and Extraterrestrial? – Dr. Edmund Lazzari
Dr. Edmund Lazzari, a Teaching Fellow at Duquesne University, dives deep into the intriguing intersection of Thomistic theology and extraterrestrial life. He explores whether St. Thomas Aquinas would consider baptizing an intelligent non-human species and discusses the implications of astrobiology on Catholic teaching. Lazzari explains the nature of intelligence, the immortality of the soul, and whether non-humans require salvation. He argues that Aquinas's framework expertly addresses questions about the spiritual independence of other species in light of the human fall.

Nov 11, 2025 • 48min
Does AI Have a Soul? – Dr. Edmund Lazzari
Dr. Edmund Lazzari, a Teaching Fellow at Duquesne University and expert in Thomistic philosophy and AI, explores whether artificial intelligence can possess a soul. He argues that current neural-network chatbots lack the necessary abstraction and intentionality attributed to immaterial intellect. Discussing claims about Google's LaMDA, he critiques the notion of AI understanding language versus mere statistical manipulation. Lazzari weaves in Aquinas’s philosophy, asserting that true intellect requires more than syntactical predication, leaving AI short of that mark.


