On the afternoon of December 16, 2025, the 140th Gao Juefu Psychology Lecture Series was held in Room 101, Huaxing Building, Xianlin Campus of Nanjing Normal University. This lecture was delivered by Professor Li Hong, former President of the Chinese Psychological Society. The theme was “Humanity's Place in the Universe After Entering the AI Era: Reflections on Learning from Professor Pan Shu's the ‘New Theory of the Three Realms’.” Organized by the School of Psychology at Nanjing Normal University, the lecture was chaired by Professor Chen Qingrong, Chair of Academic Affairs at Nanjing Normal University and Professor at the School of Psychology. Professor Zhong Yuan, the Dean of the School of Psychology, Professor An Yuanyuan, the Vice Dean, along with faculty and students gathered onsite. The lively atmosphere fostered collective exploration of philosophical and scientific propositions concerning human essence amidst the wave of artificial intelligence.

 

Professor Li Hong is the Level II Professor and doctoral supervisor. He currently serves as Deputy Dean of the School of Psychology at South China Normal University and concurrently holds the position of Dean of the Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences at Sichuan Normal University. He is the former President of the Chinese Psychological Society, Fellow of the Chinese Psychological Society, and one of the first recipients of the “New Century Hundred-Thousand-Ten Thousand Talent Project National Selection,” national model teacher honored for “Touching China in Earthquake Relief,” and “National Top 100 Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Advisor.” He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Teaching Steering Committee for Psychology Programs under the Ministry of Education and Chair of the Emotion and Health Psychology Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society, and previously served as a member of the Sixth and Seventh State Council Discipline Review Groups, Chair of the Teaching Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society, Dean of the School of Psychology and Head of the Department of Psychology at Southwest University, Vice President of Liaoning Normal University, Dean of the School of Psychology and Sociology at Shenzhen University, Director of the Faculty of Education at Shenzhen University, and Director of the Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Personality Psychology under the Ministry of Education.

 

Professor Li Hong reviewed Mr. Pan Shu's the “New Three-Realm Theory” proposed in 1985, which divides the world into the inanimate realm, the biological realm, and the human realm. Pan Shu argued that humans possess natural attributes, social attributes, and highly developed intelligence, with intelligence being the fundamental characteristic that distinguishes humans from all other beings. “Yet I both agree with and disagree with this perspective,” Professor Li Hong stated. “Chimpanzees also possess high intelligence, and contemporary artificial intelligence has even surpassed humans in certain domains. But neither qualifies as ‘human.’” He referenced the viewpoint from his first academic paper published in 1987, emphasizing that self-awareness is the fundamental characteristic that distinguishes humans from all other entities.

 

Professor Li Hong further proposed that the contemporary world has evolved into a “hybrid metaverse” merging the “traditional physical world” with the “virtual digital world.” In this new environment, traditional theories of child development may no longer apply, necessitating a reexamination of the patterns of human cognitive development. “Psychology students should take note: the theories of child development you study originate from the traditional physical world, whereas today's children are growing up in the hybrid metaverse,” Professor Li cautioned that artificial intelligence is reshaping childhood, presenting entirely new challenges for psychological research. During the lecture, Professor Li Hong also addressed the innovative talent development plans of Nanjing Normal University's School of Psychology. The school intends to launch a ”Psychology + Artificial Intelligence" dual-degree program by 2026, cultivating interdisciplinary talents combining science and engineering. “But we must ask: If all schools relentlessly emphasize attributes beyond psychology, might the discipline of psychology itself one day cease to exist?” Professor Li Hong cautioned that amid the wave of interdisciplinary development, psychology must preserve its core disciplinary identity.

 

Professor Li Hong engaged the audience by inviting them to ask AI, “Do you possess self-awareness?” By contrasting AI's response (“I can use the word ‘consciousness,’ but I don't actually experience it”), she reinforced the view that humans possess unique subjective experiences. “I'd wager that non-living AI will never achieve the consciousness that emerges from the human brain,” Professor Li Hong stated firmly. While AI may surpass humans in certain capabilities, human self-awareness and subjective experience remain irreplaceable.

 

At the conclusion of the lecture, Prof. Zhong Yuan summarized the event and expressed gratitude to Professor Li Hong for his presence.