Foundational Concept

In the third century, Tertullian posed the question, “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?” He highlighted the stark contrast between Greek philosophy (Reason) and Christian revelation (Faith). These were, in his view, fundamentally different realms.

Had Tertullian lived in our time, he might have reframed his question to include a third city:

> “What is the connection between Athens and Jerusalem, and how do they relate to Silicon Valley?”

Today, technology and capitalism dominate our lives, creating a dynamic yet precarious landscape. We face the risk of delegating reason to AI while various forms of faith, including emerging “faith-tech,” gain traction.

Silicon Valley encapsulates a convergence of wealth and innovation, reshaping our interactions with both faith and reason in unprecedented ways. This situation demands a thorough understanding of how these three metaphorical cities are intertwined.

The Three City Problem

I refer to this unique dilemma as the “three city problem,” inspired by the well-known “three body problem” in physics. While the motion of two celestial bodies can be predicted with considerable accuracy, introducing a third body makes the system chaotic and unpredictable, a conundrum that remains unsolved.

The challenges posed by AI exemplify this three city problem. AI can be viewed as a synthetic, disembodied representation of Athens, supercharged by the forces of Silicon Valley.

Sam Altman, the leader of OpenAI, embodies the Silicon Valley ethos. His aspirations for AI development need not adhere to the principles of reason or morality; they must simply be innovative. Reports abound of AI generating adult content without consent, showcasing this misalignment.

Silicon Valley operates on its own logic, often diverging from traditional values.

I do not imply that individuals inhabit only one of these cities. Rather, I argue that all three exist within us, especially for modern Americans who rely on smartphones.

Our lives are shaped by the democratic capitalism that birthed Silicon Valley and the technology it has spawned. We navigate daily life with an inherent trust in something—be it a ride-share driver or a broader system of faith. Likewise, we cannot function without engaging our reason, even imperfectly.

Human nature compels us to seek creativity, transcendence, and rationality.

The essence of the three city problem lies in the difficulty many have in integrating these dimensions of existence. Existing structures often encourage separation, fostering mistrust among differing worldviews. This fragmentation can lead to personal disintegration and societal stagnation, hindering our ability to tackle pressing issues. Many people oscillate between different perspectives without achieving meaningful integration, a skill rarely cultivated in educational settings or even within families.

My reflections on the three city problem have inspired new frameworks for human resources, education, and investment. I believe that fostering an integrated approach among these three cities is crucial for holistic human development.

While I aspire to position my family at this intersection, achieving this requires intentional effort. Without such effort, one may find themselves predominantly in Silicon Valley, with minimal time spent in Athens or Jerusalem.

The impact on identity and our sense of belonging is profound. Each city symbolizes distinct perspectives on what it means to be human, while also representing deeply ingrained identities.

Entering the Cities

Consider who belongs to each city to gain clarity.

Athens: Figures like Sam Harris, Joe Rogan, and Nate Silver come to mind as citizens of Athens. There are certainly more individuals who fit this mold.

Jerusalem: My understanding of Jerusalem encompasses both its positive and negative aspects. It can symbolize a disconnected, flawed reality rather than the idealized heavenly version. My own experiences within the church reveal a reluctance to engage in meaningful dialogue or connect with society’s broader conversations. This closing off occurs across all three cities, reinforcing ideological silos.

What might a more integrated approach look like? Pope Benedict XVI, in his notable Regensburg Lecture, advocated for an expanded view of reason that includes religious perspectives while maintaining that faith should not undermine reason. For instance, he asserted that acts of violence, such as suicide bombings, cannot be justified by any religion. He did not prioritize reason over faith but sought a harmonious relationship between Athens and Jerusalem.

Silicon Valley: The influencers of Silicon Valley are ubiquitous in our digital lives. They embody the intersection of capital, creativity, and technology, which can yield remarkable advancements when aligned with human values. I have already referenced notable figures, and my focus remains on Silicon Valley's role in shaping our contemporary landscape.

Questions and Reflections

This three city framework is currently being taught at several universities, including my own, and soon at St. Lawrence University in New York. I hope it continues to spread. I am eager to engage in dialogue, recognizing that I do not have all the answers, but I do have questions. I believe that framing the right questions can lead to fruitful discussions.

Here are some musings that did not make it into my original WIRED article:

• Could Athens, Jerusalem, and Silicon Valley represent the head, heart, and will, respectively?
• Is there a parallel to Plato’s tripartite soul: the logistikon (reason), thymoeides (spirit), and epithymetikon (appetite)? The appetite aligns with the concept of will.
• Perhaps a fourth city exists, ruled by passion rather than reason, faith, or innovation. I struggle to name it—Gomorrah, Vegas, Hedon? This city prioritizes the fulfillment of desires, and I have experienced it firsthand.
• The Dune series illustrates a "space between" the original three cities, where individuals reject dominant ideologies and choose to live outside the established boundaries. In our context, we may need to learn how to thrive in a spiritual desert that lacks the community that the Internet offers. Who will emerge as the new Fremen? What adaptations will be necessary to flourish in this new reality? It may require rejecting allegiance to any one city.
• A savvy politician could craft a message that resonates deeply with constituents from all three cities. They would find common ground among liberal academics, clergy, and tech entrepreneurs. This dynamic explains the rise of economist Mariana Mazzucato, an atheist now part of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life, who attempts to engage various constituents.
• I present Mazzucato as an example of what I do not advocate: the haphazard mingling of diverse voices that may lead to confusion and weakness. The message is not simply to throw people together and hope for productive outcomes. Research indicates that such situations often result in irrational group behavior, counterproductive to individual interests. The complexities of peace-making and scapegoating complicate the dynamics further.
• Instead, I emphasize the importance of thoughtfully discussing foundational anthropological and metaphysical assumptions in the appropriate context, underscoring the role of education. The structure of electoral processes in U.S. politics illustrates how the inclusion or exclusion of constituents at specific decision-making stages must be intentional and continually refined. I am uncertain if this is occurring in U.S. primaries, but it highlights the necessity of integrating diverse voices at the right moments. A significant issue with AI's development in Silicon Valley is that the process has largely excluded other perspectives, which has led to the current dilemmas.
• Urbanism, particularly the concept of walkable cities, directly relates to the three cities. Will new urban centers simply become homogenized spaces for like-minded individuals? Alternatively, could there be a community where church steeples dominate the skyline, offering a chance encounter between figures like Sam Harris and myself? While unlikely, renewed interest in design invites contemplation on the purpose of these communities.
• Ultimately, the relationships among these cities are paramount. Is one city “first among equals”? What happens during disputes over technologies like AI? In 494, Pope Gelasius I articulated a political theology distinguishing secular and spiritual authority, a framework that guided Western Europe for centuries. Today, we lack a unifying spiritual voice. The discourse often devolves into public squabbles among tech leaders, with ineffective open letters circulating about halting AI development. We must establish mechanisms for addressing disputes and fostering communication, potentially at the policy level. Any meaningful policy must consider the contributions of each city toward viable solutions.

Where Do We Go from Here?

The WIRED article concludes with reflections that have preoccupied my thoughts. Where can we locate a genuine intersection in our interconnected world? What does it look like? Does AI have a “chest” that embodies a core identity? Can a Network State or the Cloud possess such a unifying essence? Or do these intersections reside solely within human beings? This, I believe, is the essential question we must confront.

> C. S. Lewis, in the first chapter of his book The Abolition of Man, describes “the Chest” as the central meeting ground of a person's visceral, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions. Although he wrote this before the rise of Silicon Valley, his poignant observation could easily reflect the future we are creating—one devoid of a unifying core. He warns that a future without this intersection will be dystopian because “we make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”

> If we continue to treat human nature as an unknowable variable, we will build technology for a creature we do not understand and be surprised when we encounter despair. Technologies like the $12 billion pornography industry, now largely driven by technology, emerge without us asking fundamental questions about their impact on our relationships.

> Values appreciated in one city are not necessarily recognized in others. Yet, there exists a space for coexistence—a realm where the existence of one individual does not negate another’s potential, allowing the values of each city to enrich one another.

> If we feel incomplete or find technology unfulfilling, it is a sign that we have undervalued ourselves. There exists a broader vision of humanity that we can reclaim.

> The most significant innovations of the coming decades will arise at the intersection of these three cities, spearheaded by those who inhabit this space.

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