#43 - Stephen D. Cole - The Polymath Pastor
From The Ethan C. Lewin Podcast by Ethan C. Lewin
March 20, 2026 · 3h 7m · Episode 43
About this episode
In this episode, Ethan C. Lewin interviews Stephen D. Cole, exploring his diverse background and thoughts on consciousness, AI, and cultural history.
Stephen D. Cole is a jack of all trades, descended from a lineage of brilliant minds. His father, Dandridge MacFarlan Cole, was a notable rocket scientist and futurist (look him up on Wikipedia!) who focused on practical space colonization concepts like hollowed-out asteroids for human habitats. Stephen grew up out west, fell in love with the outdoors, and then moved east for his father’s work. As a kid, he commuted to Philadelphia to use early punch-card computers. At 14, his father didn’t come home, leaving behind a wife and six kids. The loss stayed with him, as did his father’s influence. Today, Stephen is a pastor-turned-professor who finds wonder in symbolic forms, cognitive science, and just about everything, really. We explored consciousness and whether AI could ever truly be conscious, linguistics, being counter-cultural, surprising ties between church history and the zodiac, and much more... I can assure you of one thing: Stephen will stretch your mind. Mine is still in recovery. I have never met someone who recalls information with such depth, accuracy, and articulation. Welcome to episode forty-three. Check Out: Stephen D. Cole Dandridge_MacFarlan_Cole Moon Landings…
People in this episode
Host: Ethan C. Lewin
Guest: Stephen D. Cole
Topics covered
- polymath
- pastor
- cognitive science
- consciousness
- AI
- church history
- zodiac
Keywords
- polymath
- pastor
- cognitive science
- AI consciousness
- church history
- zodiac
- Stephen D. Cole
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: All Secure Foundation, Academy of the New Church High School
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