Second lecture at Korbinians Kolleg, November 21, 2025 Professor Dr. Armin Nassehi – Three scenes on the artificiality of the natural.

Tegernsee, 21 November 2025. The Natural and the Artificial – Dimensions of Humanity – this is the motto of the current lecture series at the Korbinians Kolleg. And with the appearance of Professor Dr. Armin Nassehi, the semester reached an early highlight. His keynote lecture “Three Scenes on the Artificiality of the Natural” was not only complex but also extraordinarily entertaining and delighted the roughly 220 listeners who had come to the large Festsaal at the Spa & Resort Bachmair Weissach last Friday evening to hear the sociologist from Munich.

While outside the first snowflakes were falling into the Tegernsee valley, host Korbinian Kohler welcomed his guests inside under artificial light, as he emphasized in wise anticipation of what was to come – among them entrepreneur Christiane zu Salm, TV host Michael Harles, district administrator Olaf von Löwis and several academic companions of Armin Nassehi. The new curator of the Korbinians Kolleg, Professor Karsten Fischer, then introduced his colleague in more detail – although, as he freely admitted, this was actually unnecessary. As one of Europe’s leading sociologists, Nassehi has not only distinguished himself through a large number of works, but with widely acclaimed books such as “Unbehagen. Theorie der überforderten Gesellschaft.” or “Das Große Nein” has decisively shaped public debate in recent decades.

Professor Nassehi opened his lecture with the fundamental question of whether the concept of nature itself might already be an artificial attribution. And he jokingly warned his listeners that all subsequent considerations would in any case rest on a somewhat questionable foundation, as it is always coded by humans. This paradox, this contradiction – as quickly became clear – must be endured by anyone wishing to define the narrow ridge between nature and culture. Over the next 90 minutes, the committed lecturer and his audience at the Bachmair successfully navigated this ridge – offering entertaining insights now on one side, now on the other.

Professor Nassehi brought three “scenes” to explore the question of the difference between nature and culture from different perspectives: cloning, artificial intelligence, and nature as a resource. The topic of cloning immediately addressed the great question of existence – or more precisely: Who is allowed to clone, and who is actually responsible for the design of the human being? God? Nature? The parents? Or even the state? All four possibilities have had and still have convinced supporters throughout history, as Nassehi explained in an engaging manner. In the end, this first chapter offered at least one plausible insight: Human autonomy also depends on the element of chance in human nature.

The eagerly awaited discussion of the second scene, titled “Artificial Intelligence,” then took up the most time – unsurprisingly, also thanks to lively audience participation. Can ChatGPT understand a deeply human joke and explain it meaningfully? (Answer: No!) And what, in this new technology, is actually artificial and what is intelligent? Professor Nassehi explained his impression that today, AI often rescues itself into an appearance of genuine intelligence by referring to meaningful connections and reproducing probabilities from the past. For one should note: Technology, by its nature, is not truly open-ended. Human intelligence, however, is. And that is how it can be recognized.

The third scene, titled Nature as a Resource, also brought the discussion into current social debates. However, it was not about hydropower, as some might initially have assumed. Nassehi chose the subject of gender clarity and current debates within gender studies and feminist research as the framework for discussing whether nature sets certain facts immovably. And how society or culture deals with such seemingly immovable facts. A sensitive topic in which one key aspect became clear – when culture and nature clash, terminology plays a significant role, and thus once again human-made codes.

The subsequent open discussion was initiated by host Korbinian Kohler with the question of whether the planet and nature might be better off without humans. “Humans are the problem, but also the solution,” replied Professor Nassehi – and this sounded like an essence derived from all three scenes of the evening. Interested audience questions and lighthearted lines of thought rounded off the evening. Prolonged applause confirmed the impact the appearance of the renowned sociologist had left on the listeners. Upon departure, Korbinian Kohler reminded his guests to beware of icy roads – so in the end, nature had the final word.

The Winter Semester 2025/26 at the Korbinians Kolleg

Main theme: “The Natural and the Artificial: Dimensions of Humanity”

Humans always move within the area of tension between the natural and the artificial, grappling with moral and technological boundaries that continue to shift and therefore force us to reconsider our scope for decision-making. Humans are artificial by nature, for they create culture and civilization, and in doing so change the nature surrounding them as well as their own nature. The relationship between the natural and the artificial is therefore a dimension of the human – but it is always full of tension.

This field of tension will occupy the speakers and guests of the Korbinians Kolleg in the winter semester 25/26. As always, distinguished scholars, politicians and philosophers will approach the topic from their respective areas of expertise and provide the audience with thought-provoking impulses and inspiration at the highest level. The following dates and guest speakers are planned for the coming months:
Korbinians Kolleg Winter 2025/26 | Bachmair WeissachLink

Professor Dr. Armin Nassehi

Born in 1960 in Tübingen, Nassehi has been Professor of General Sociology and Social Theory at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich since 1998 and, since 2025, also Vice President of the LMU. Through numerous books, guest articles and academic contributions, he has become well-known far beyond academic circles. In his book “Muster. Theorie der digitalen Gesellschaft” (2019), Nassehi examined digital thinking, which he identifies as a fundamental pattern of modern society. In “Unbehagen. Theorie der überforderten Gesellschaft” (2021), he offered analyses of the widespread feeling of being overwhelmed in contemporary society. Nassehi has also been co-editor of the renowned cultural magazine Kursbuch since 2012 and holds roles in various important committees – including the German Ethics Council.

About the Korbinians Kolleg

The Korbinians Kolleg was founded in 2017 by Korbinian Kohler and Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Vossenkuhl. The two envisioned creating an open forum for philosophical discussion and sociopolitical dialogue at the Spa & Resort Bachmair Weissach. Initiator and host Korbinian Kohler summed up the goal of the lecture series: “We want to give people food for thought that goes beyond everyday life and inspire a dialogue that moves us forward as a society.” His aim is to address contemporary questions at the highest level and make them accessible to a broad audience. The Korbinians Kolleg takes place once a month during the winter semester, always on a Friday. Participation is free of charge for hotel guests and external visitors with prior registration.

At the Korbinians Kolleg at the Spa & Resort Bachmair Weissach, among Kohler’s guests were, among others, Christiane zu Salm, Olaf von Löwis and his wife (District Administrator of Miesbach), Susanne Countess and Klaus Count von Moltke, Alexia and Jens Zangenfeind (First Mayor of Hausham), artist Suse Kohler, Dr. Rebekka Reinhard (human Magazine) with editor-in-chief Thomas Vasek, Nanette von der Leyen, Max Scharnigg (author and journalist), Anja Biebl, editor-in-chief Alina Bähr (Bunte.de), Marlies and Ferdinand Kohler (daughter and eldest son of Suse and Korbinian Kohler) and many more.