Richard C. Pütz

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"What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing." ~ Aristotle

 

  

 

 

 

Richard is available for single-session talks, all-day or weekend workshops, business and organizational retreats, coaching, and keynote presentations. Richard will craft a presentation to meet your specific needs.

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Keynotes, Lunch Presentations, Small Group Meetings: Live & Zoom.

 

Got a Technology Philosopher? AI Ethicist?

Exploring the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Machines, and Humana Life.

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Main Keynote/Presentation/Workshops

In all Presentations, We confront the Question: Are We Entering the Next Golden Age of Humanity?

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(1) Two Faces Have I...Says AI.  What does the future hold for humanity, and how will we create the future we want? How is technology driving our decisions?  Do we understand the good, bad, and the ugly of AI? Are We Ready For Change?

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In 2035, Will we become a society that no longer determines one's self-worth based on your career, job, or what you do to earn a living? Will our focus shift to People, Planet, Education, and the Welfare of all Beings? Why your only job that matters is to be HUMAN. 

 

Do we understand AI's good, bad, and ugly sides? Are We Ready For Change? In the hour, we will Compare Good and strong AI with bad and Weak AI. Can we tell the difference? 

 

In this presentation, we will examine some of artificial intelligence's many "faces" and the different ways it is used. How do we know what is real or fake? Why does the difference matter? And what can you do to help sort out the confusion? Can AI be used in ways that benefit society and align with human values? Only you can tell! What is Ethical AI? 

 

The SEE, JUDGE, and ACT methods help discern and judge AI in an Age of Emerging Technology. How can we DISCERN in ways that assist us in becoming prosperous and purposeful and ACT in ways that benefit people and our planet and make society more innovative and collaborative?

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"Technology is Anthropology" 

 

Creating an approach through cultural change and emerging technology will boldly take humanity to places it never dreamed of.  Understanding that Technology is Anthropology is an approach to living life as a human being and knowing how to decide and thrive through Cultural Change and Emerging Technology. 

 

There are many different paths that societal phase changes occur. Let's examine them and see if We Are Ready to understand the two faces of AI in each of these areas:

• Technological advancements: New technologies can have a major impact on societies, changing the way people communicate, work, and learn. For example, the invention of the printing press led to the spread of literacy and the rise of new forms of communication. At the same time, the development of the internet has profoundly impacted how people connect with each other and access information.

• Economic changes: Major economic shifts, such as the Agricultural and Industrial Revolution, which led to the rise of the global economy, were all driven by technology and led to societal phase changes. These changes can lead to new social classes, new migration patterns, and new forms of inequality.

• Political changes: Political revolutions, movements, causes, wars, and other major political shifts can trigger societal phase changes driven by technology. These events can lead to new forms of government, laws, and ways of thinking about power and authority.

• Cultural changes: Changes in values, beliefs, religious practices, and norms can also lead to societal phase changes. These changes can be driven by various factors, such as religious movements that react to technology, social, or demographic changes.

 

Societal phase changes can be positive or negative. For example, the civil rights movement in the United States led to a more just and equitable society. In contrast, the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1930s led to a more oppressive and authoritarian society thinking about technology's role in each case.

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Are We Ready to Explore?

 

As we move away from the industrial revolution and to a world where new technologies are boldly taking humanity to places it never dreamed of, will humanity, organizations, and businesses adapt to the change? What possibilities will change society from the accelerating technological evolution of computers, artificial intelligence, robots, and other surprising technological developments? Do we know how it is happening? Do we understand how technology changes our lives, jobs, society, culture, and even how religion is practiced? We will examine these areas in addition to healthcare, shopping, customer service, and manufacturing.

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A look into the future and our lives we never thought technology would touch.

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For the third time in human history, civilization is undergoing a phase change. The first was the Agricultural Revolution, the second the Industrial Revolution, and we are now in the midst of an. Autonomous Revolution,~A Revolution in Cyberspace ~ A Revolution in Culture Do we understand the brutally Darwinian nature of technological evolution?  Do we understand the difference in being human and the difference it makes?

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“It does us no good to make fantastic progress if we do not know how to live with it, if we cannot make good use of it, and if, in fact, our technology becomes nothing more than an expensive and complicated way of cultural disintegration." ~ Detrich Bonhoeffer

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(2) Apocalypse Now: Confronting Christian Nationalism Speaking Up & Speaking           Out.  

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In the next sixty minutes, let's examine and try to understand this question: Why is Christian nationalism all the rage? Suddenly, it fills the headlines. 

 

But what is it, and where did it come from? What would Thomas Merton say today? Do we have clues to what he thought of the movement? Does Technology play a role?

 

Christian Nationalism stirs up emotion and blurs people's thinking about what it means to be a Christian and our American identity. It blends the two together as closely related and necessary and seeks to enhance and preserve their union as one. This goes to the heart of the matter; everything flows from this blurring of religious and national identity. 

 

In this framework, the separation of church and state is the focus: Let's focus on FIVE Areas that the Christian Nationalism Movement fosters in their words.

 

• The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation. 

• U.S. laws should be based on Christian values. 

• If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country anymore. 

• Being Christian is a vital part of being truly American. God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.

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(3) House Divided with a World On Fire: Exploring Parallels between the Early Church, Thomas Merton & Detrich Bonhoeffer: Lessons Learned: Defining Social Justice, Culture, and War in the Era of Emerging Technology Changing Our Lives in Search for the Kingdom of Heaven. 

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A visual look at a ' House Divided and World on Fire' is not just a historical exploration but a relevant understanding of the early development of the church as understood by the early followers of Jesus, Thomas Merton, and Detrich Bonhoeffer. We will look at the unique perspective of the early followers, Christianity Against Rome, Against the Empire Then and Now, and the parallels between Merton and Bonhoeffer and draw lessons that parallel the 1st-century Roman Empire, the Patristic period, and the 21st-century United States. Discussing how the messages of Merton and Bonhoeffer and their situations in time can lead us to a clear understanding of what the Kingdom of Heaven means in our culture in the 21st century. 
 

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Thomas Merton, an influential American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, and mystic, is best known for his spirituality, social justice, and peace teachings. His key message centered around the importance of inner spiritual life and the quest for personal authenticity. He emphasized the need for a deep connection with the divine, which he believed could be achieved through contemplation and self-awareness.

Thomas Merton's writings on race, social justice, and war have gained renewed attention during this era of emerging technology. In "Letters to a White Liberal," Merton wrote that unless the nation came to grips with racism, "the survival of America itself is in question." In a reference to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Merton wrote using early 1960s language that the civil rights leader "clearly spelled out the struggle for freedom not as a struggle for blacks but also for the white people." Merton believed that nonviolence was the alternative to nonexistence. He developed principles for a spirituality of non-violence based on the Beatitudes. Merton believed that war was demonic, evil, anti-human, anti-life, anti-God, and anti-Christ. He wrote, “The God of peace is never glorified by human violence.

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a prominent German theologian and anti-Nazi dissident, is renowned for his significant contributions to Christian theology and his unwavering stance against the evils of the Nazi regime. His key message centered on Christology—the study of the nature and work of Christ. Bonhoeffer emphasized Christ's dual nature, highlighting God's transcendence and immanence in Christ. He believed that Christ is above and beyond our reality and present and active within it. Bonhoeffer’s theology was not just theoretical; it had profound ethical implications. He argued that Christian ethics must be rooted in this understanding of Christ’s nature, leading to an active stance against injustice and evil. As he ultimately participated, Bonhoeffer’s life and work are a powerful example of the intersection between faith and action.

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To gain a good reputation is to be what you desire to appear." ~ Socrates

 

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Book Club & Discussion Groups: The Foundation of Knowing and Understanding

Learning in Public for the Public: Study Groups & Workshops: Live & Zoom

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    "All genuine learning is active, not passive. It involves the use of the mind, not just the memory. It is a     discovery process, in which the student is the main agent, not the teacher." ~ Mortimer J Adler

 

We start with great books, leading us to great discussions—this is the heart of learning. Our continuing education seminars and discussion groups foster intellectual curiosity in our education; from conversations around the "Zoom Table," we hope that you share what you learn with others in your community and organization. We start where all learning begins: With Curiosity and Puzzlement, maybe a slight Bewilderment. Together, we address the "warm fuzzies and the cold pricklies," trying to answer the question: "Why Bother? Does it make a difference?" So, as adults, is it worth your time, effort, and commitment to "KNOW" why you bother? Over the past forty years, I've learned the importance of "reductio ad absurdum."  

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When we practice and cultivate WISDOM, we work towards the highest standard of a life well-lived; in all contexts of our lives, family, social, and business, we call that Eudaimonia.

 

In our discussion groups, we hope to inspire everyone to see the inner workings of some of history's most brilliant philosophers, scientists, artists, writers, musicians, and more; we strive to think deeply, innovate, discuss intensely, educate, and live boldly through collaboration.

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Eudaimonia transforms cultural and social institutions over time, profoundly impacting society. The Art of Social Phase Change is brought on by the technology of the period. Understanding History/Culture/Politics teaches us about patterns, social change, and the meaning of life in the age of autonomous technologies.

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"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."                                                                                                                 ~Aristotle, Metaphysics