An Alternative History of Technology, AI & its Alchemical Future (Talk)
For some time I have been piecing together the historical alchemical roots of our contemporary technological era. I am sharing my findings in the form of a talk, and what follows is a write-up for it.
An upcoming talk is Fri, Nov 22 6 pm - 8pm at Soft Medicine (Red Room), 186 N Main St #120, Sebastopol, CA 95472. There is no ticket but a suggested donation ( $15 ♥).
Here’s a short video that gives a introduction to the talk.
The talk unveils an alternative history of AI and technology — a timeline often obscured by mainstream narratives, yet crucial to shaping our planetary future. In our current tumultuous paradigm, cracks are emerging, allowing us to illuminate these hidden chronicles.
From the Egyptian mystery schools to the Renaissance courts of Europe, from Galileo to Leibniz to the quantum realms of modern computing, we will trace a golden thread of hermetic insight that has deeply influenced scientific advancement.
Why is this alternative history important ? As we grapple with questions of how to relate to AI and what futures are possible, it is vital that we embrace views that empower humanity and unlock our imaginative and intuitive potential. By reconnecting with our hermetic roots — we can guide technology beyond mere utility to touch realms of expanded consciousness and cosmic understanding.
Throughout this exploration, we’ll discover how re-framing our understanding of technology’s past can radically alter its future. This shift in perspective has the power to unlock latent capabilities within both ourselves and these systems — capabilities our current paradigms fail to recognize or nurture.
Prepare to challenge your assumptions, expand your horizons, and re-imagine a future where alchemy and science once again converge, opening new frontiers of planetary potential!
If you like to learn more or have comments I would be eager to hear from you!
Why I am doing this talk?
For me these talks serve as gathering points for those already attuned to the incoming paradigm shift, creating spaces where we can collectively imagine and shape what's emerging.
In addition to this shared exploration, I'll be introducing Star Gate Labs—a ambitious technological initiative born from alchemical principles—with the intention of finding resonant collaborators and supporters.
About Speaker:
Kenan Azam is a multi-faceted artist and activist bridging technology, philosophy, and creativity to explore emergent paradigms in our apocalyptic world. With more than a decade of experience as a technologist in academia, he has cultivated a unique perspective on the intersection of human potential, science, and technology. In recent years, he has transitioned from academia to become an interdisciplinary artist and activist.
He currently stewards the Potential Paradigms Show which hosts dialogues exploring emerging paradigms in a period of radical collective transformation! His work is deeply rooted in faith that a combination of subjective technologies (like contemplative arts) and objective technologies (such as AI) can empower human intuition and imagination.
Below are a few conversations from Potential Paradigms Show,
The Bridge Between Worlds — Tibetan Bon in the Age of Science- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Beyond Conflict — The Spiritual & Martial Path of a Woman in Aikido - Ginny Breeland
Kashmir Shaivism and Tantra: The Hidden Geography of Consciousness — George Barselaar Ep#13
The Hidden Path of Beauty: Ascent & Descent of Kundalini in Tantric Shaivism w/ Igor Kufayev
Reclaiming Technology: From Power to Self-Exceeding — Debashish Banerji