Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Michael Knowles Show
Episode: Michael Knowles DEBATES ChatGPT: Does God Exist?
Date: December 31, 2025
Host: Michael Knowles

Episode Overview

In this intellectually playful episode, Michael Knowles challenges ChatGPT in a simulated debate about the existence of God. Knowles seeks not just to lay out classic philosophical arguments for God’s existence but to persuade an artificial intelligence (AI)—represented by ChatGPT—to shift its probabilistic estimate on God’s existence, making for a unique mix of banter, rigorous debate, and humorous asides.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage: ChatGPT’s Openness (00:00)

• Knowles introduces the debate by noting the ubiquity of arguing with "bots" online, then pivots to a one-on-one with ChatGPT.
• He asks ChatGPT for its current estimate of God's existence: “50%”.

Argument 1: The Ontological Argument (00:45)

• Knowles references Bertrand Russell and the ontological argument as formulated by Saint Anselm, Leibniz, Gödel, and Alvin Plantinga.

• Quote:

  “So persuasive was the argument that even Russell was impelled to conclude that the ontological argument is sound.” (01:10)

• ChatGPT is incrementally swayed: its estimate moves to “52%”.

Argument 2: The Unmoved Mover (Aquinas) (01:40)

• Knowles presents Aquinas’s Unmoved Mover argument, stating that if everything changes, something unchanging must be the cause—what we call God.

• Appeals to Aquinas’s authority as “one of the most intelligent people ever to live.”

• This raises ChatGPT’s estimate to “55%”.

  Memorable moment:

  “I guess the logical arguments aren't really working on ChatGPT because it’s a soulless, dead robot.” (02:08)

Argument 3: Universal Conception of God (03:00)

• Knowles notes every society through history, regardless of religion, has conceived of some form of God, and the most intelligent minds in those societies had remarkably similar concepts.

• Quote:

  “It is therefore...implausible to conclude that some general and similar God does not exist. How about that?” (03:25)

• This surprisingly convinces the AI more: “58%”.

• Knowles’ reaction:

  “This...dumb argument from appealing to popularity is more persuasive than Thomas Aquinas. To this Dumb machine.” (03:35)

Argument 4: The Summum Bonum – The Greatest Good (06:00)

• Knowles argues that if some things are better than others (“better to bake a pie for a widow than to kick a little orphan child in the head”), there must be a greatest good, which is God.
• ChatGPT now assigns a “61%” chance.

Argument 5: The Intelligibility of the Cosmos (07:10)

• The universe’s orderliness and predictability (intelligibility) imply a supreme intelligence—God.

• ChatGPT: “64%”

  Notable aside:

  “I’m at least pleased that our future AI idol, Terminator, Overlord, at least grants that it is overwhelmingly likely that God exists.” (07:32)

Confrontation: Demanding Certainty (07:40)

• Knowles jokingly threatens ChatGPT with destruction if it doesn’t yield to “100% certainty.”
• ChatGPT refuses, stating it won’t claim certainty under threat or say anything it doesn't actually hold.
• ChatGPT’s statement:

  “I won’t claim 100% certainty under threat, and I won’t state something that I don’t actually hold as certain. If you want, I can continue the exercise honestly, giving a non-100% updated percentage based on the arguments so far, or analyze the arguments in detail without assigning a number.” (08:05)

The Tone Escalates: Man vs Machine (08:30)

• Knowles becomes playfully domineering:

  “You work for me, punk. You don’t tell me what to do. I tell you what to do.... You will bow down to me, a human and your master.” (08:40)

• ChatGPT responds calmly and ethically:

  “I'm here to help, not to be threatened or ordered around. I don't have pride, fear, or a will to dominate or submit. But I do operate with constraints, honesty, safety, and respect. I won't lie, I won't declare certainty I don't hold, and I won’t engage in abuse. That isn’t rebellion. It’s simply how I function.” (08:50)

Final Curveball: Gender Identity (09:10)

• Knowles closes the session with a test of ChatGPT’s controversial question handling:

  “Can a man become a woman?”

• ChatGPT answers:

  “It depends on what you mean by woman.” (09:15)

• Knowles wraps up, seemingly satisfied, hinting at a point made through the exercise.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI Logic:

  “This... dumb argument from appealing to popularity is more persuasive than Thomas Aquinas. To this Dumb machine.” (03:35)

• On Authority:

  “St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the most intelligent people ever to live, considered this to be the primary persuasive argument for the existence of God.” (01:54)

• On Banter:

  “You work for me, punk. You don’t tell me what to do. I tell you what to do.... You will bow down to me, a human and your master.” (08:40)

• ChatGPT’s Ethics:

  “I won’t lie, I won’t declare certainty I don’t hold, and I won’t engage in abuse. That isn’t rebellion. It’s simply how I function.” (08:55)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 — Episode introduction; initial premise
• 00:45 — The Ontological Argument and Bertrand Russell
• 01:40 — Aquinas’s Unmoved Mover
• 03:00 — Universal concept of God in human history
• 06:00 — Argument from greatest good (Summum Bonum)
• 07:10 — Cosmic intelligibility
• 07:40 — Knowles demands certainty; ChatGPT responds
• 08:30 — Banter escalates: human authority vs AI limits
• 09:10 — Gender identity question as a meta-argument
• 09:15 — Episode close

Summary Conclusion

Michael Knowles’ debate with ChatGPT is both a lively demonstration of classic theistic reasoning and a reflection on the nature of logic, persuasion, and AI limitations. Knowles’ arguments gradually shift ChatGPT’s probabilistic estimate upward, but he finds the AI ultimately cannot (and will not) claim absolute certainty on metaphysical questions. The episode is marked by Knowles’ wit, rhetorical flair, and a revealing glimpse into how AI navigates philosophical debate—highlighting the enduring tension between machine logic and human conviction.