Episode #478: Beyond Encyclopedias: Teaching History for the AI Era

In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, host Stewart Alsop talks with Zachary Cote, Executive Director of Thinking Nation, about how history education can shape citizens who think critically rather than simply memorize facts. They explore the role of memory, the ethics of curation in a decentralized media landscape, and the need to rebuild trust in institutions through humility, collaboration, and historical thinking. Zachary shares insights from his teaching experience and emphasizes intellectual humility as essential for civic life and learning in the age of AI. You can learn more about his work at thinkingnation.org and follow @Thinking_Nation on social media.

Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation

Timestamps

00:00 – Zachary introduces Thinking Nation’s mission to foster critical thinking in history education, distinguishing memory from deeper historical discipline.
05:00 – They unpack the complexity of memory, collective narratives, and how individuals curate their own realities, especially in a decentralized media landscape.
10:00 – Zachary explains why epistemology and methodology matter more than static facts, and how ethical curation can shape flourishing societies.
15:00 – Discussion turns to how history is often used for cultural arguments, and the need to reframe it as a tool for understanding rather than judgment.
20:00 – They explore AI in education, contrasting it as tool vs. crutch, and warning about students’ lack of question-asking skills.
25:00 – The conversation shifts to authority, institutions, and tradition as “democracy extended to the dead.”
30:00 – Stewart and Zachary reflect on rebuilding trust through honesty, humility, collaboration, and asking better questions.
35:00 – They consider the decentralizing effects of technology and the urgency of restoring shared principles.
40:00 – Zachary emphasizes contextualization, empathy, and significance as historical thinking skills rooted in humility.
45:00 – They close on the challenge of writing and contributing meaningfully through questions and confident, honest articulation.

Key Insights

1. Zachary Cote argues that history education should move beyond memorization and focus on cultivating thinking citizens. He reframes history as a discipline of inquiry, where the past is the material through which students develop critical, ethical reasoning.
2. The concept of memory is central to understanding history. Zachary highlights that we all remember differently based on our environment and identity, which complicates any attempt at a single, unified national narrative. This complexity invites us to focus on shared methodologies rather than consensus on content.
3. In an age of media fragmentation and curated realities, Zachary emphasizes the importance of equipping students with epistemological tools to evaluate and contextualize information ethically, rather than reinforcing echo chambers or binary ideologies.
4. The conversation calls out the educational system’s obsession with data and convenient assessment, arguing that what matters most—like humility, critical thinking, and civic understanding—is often left out because it’s harder to measure.
5. Zachary sees AI as a powerful tool that, if used well, could help assess deeper thinking skills. But he warns that without training in asking good questions, students may treat AI like a gospel rather than a starting point for inquiry.
6. Authority and tradition, often dismissed in a culture obsessed with novelty, are reframed by Zachary as essential democratic tools. Citing Chesterton, he argues that tradition is “democracy extended to the dead,” reminding us that collective wisdom includes voices from the past.
7. Humility emerges as a recurring theme—not just spiritual or social humility, but intellectual humility. Through historical thinking skills like contextualization, empathy, and significance, students can learn to approach the past (and the present) with curiosity rather than certainty, making room for deeper civic engagement.