This is my first post on Substack. I write at random intervals about whatever happens to be on my mind at the moment. This one’s about the usefulness & limitations of currently (as of 1/7/24) popular publicly available AI engines based on LLMs (Large Language Models).
The most important thing laypersons need to understand about current publicly available “AI’s” is while they do simulate *results* created by human minds, the *process* they use to produce these results isn’t remotely like the way humans create ideas. “Intelligence,” relating to any organic entity — human or animal, anything that’s not a computer — is commonly defined as a process of acquiring & correlating information to form conclusions. These apps don’t understand & connect concepts; simply put, they just assemble collections of characters or pixels in ways consistent with massive datasets they’re trained on. No human experiences thought that way. The apps can be very helpful if used with an understanding of what they *won’t* do. To be fair, ChatGPT does have a note in fine print at the bottom of the page, “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information,” but it should be in bold at the top of the page. I tried some experiments to test where it falls short. Under my label (“LE”), my questions to ChatGPT are in bold, & my comments/evaluations are in italics:
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What is the difference in meaning to Chat GPT of these two quotes: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”; “Jx tmd w9:” kx 8?- e/+lw %) gpx=@”
The first quote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," is a famous opening line from Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." It contrasts contrasting situations.
The second quote appears to be a jumbled sequence of characters and doesn't convey a coherent meaning. If there's a specific context or decryption needed, please provide more information.
OK, it recognized the famous first line, & identified a random character sequence, but “contrasts contrasting situations”? Yep, that’d get me an “A” on my book report!
What is the meaning of "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”? Why does Dickens start the story with this statement?
Charles Dickens' opening line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," from "A Tale of Two Cities" sets the tone for the novel by highlighting the stark contrasts and duality of the era in which the story is set. The novel is situated during the turbulent times of the French Revolution, and Dickens uses this juxtaposition to convey the extremes of both prosperity and hardship experienced by different characters.
By starting with such a powerful and contrasting statement, Dickens aims to emphasize the societal divisions, conflicts, and contradictions prevalent in the historical context of the novel. The duality in the opening line reflects the broader themes of the novel, exploring contrasts between wealth and poverty, love and hatred, sacrifice and selfishness. It serves as a thematic introduction, preparing readers for the complex and intricate narrative that unfolds.
This answer is reasonable, but let’s ask about sources for that opinion:
What sources does Chat GPT rely on for that interpretation?
I don't have access to my training data, but I was trained on a mixture of licensed data, data created by human trainers, and publicly available data. My knowledge is based on the data used to train me and my ability to generate language-based responses. For specific interpretations of literary works, I draw upon the general understanding and analysis that is available in the public domain. If you have specific questions about "A Tale of Two Cities" or Charles Dickens, feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to provide information based on what I've been trained on.
“…mixture of licensed data, data created by human trainers, and publicly available data. … general understanding and analysis that is available in the public domain.” So no specific cites, just a bunch of stuff already created by humans. (Notice it specifies “language-based,” not *fact*-based, responses.) How about examples from the text?
Give some examples from the text of Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” of the themes you listed in your previous response.
Certainly, here are some examples from Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" that reflect the themes of duality and contrast:
Wealth and Poverty:
The stark contrast between the aristocracy in France and the impoverished common people is evident. Characters like the Darnays and Evrémondes represent the wealthy, while characters like the Defarges symbolize the struggles of the poor.
Love and Hatred:
The romantic relationships in the novel, particularly between characters like Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette, are juxtaposed against the deep-seated animosity between opposing groups during the French Revolution.
Sacrifice and Selfishness:
Sydney Carton's ultimate sacrifice for the well-being of others is a powerful example of selflessness. In contrast, the selfishness and corruption of some characters, especially in the aristocracy, contribute to the social unrest.
Conflict and Resolution:
The revolutionary fervor and the conflicts in France lead to significant upheavals, reflecting the broader theme of societal and political turmoil. The resolution comes with the hope for a better future but is achieved through intense struggle.
These examples illustrate how Dickens weaves themes of duality and contrast throughout the narrative to explore the complexities of human nature and society.
These answers are also reasonable, but I was hoping for quotes from the text. My bad; I have to be more specific:
Quote passages from the text that apply to these for
Oops — typo. I pressed Return before I meant to, but it answered anyway:
Certainly! Here are some passages from Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" that exemplify the mentioned themes:
Wealth and Poverty:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."
Absolutely nothing about wealth or poverty.
Love and Hatred:
"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other. A solemn consideration, when I enter a great city by night, that every one of those darkly clustered houses encloses its own secret; that every room in every one of them encloses its own secret; that every beating heart in the hundreds of thousands of breasts there, is, in some of its imaginings, a secret to the heart nearest it!"
Just because you mention “heart” & “breasts” doesn’t make it about love & hate!
Sacrifice and Selfishness:
"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
OK, being generous, an oblique reference to sacrifice, but where’s the selfishness?
Conflict and Resolution:
"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."
In the context of the whole book, again being generous, it’s arguably related to resolution, but no conflict.
These passages capture the essence of the themes in "A Tale of Two Cities," showcasing Dickens' exploration of contrasts and dualities in the novel.
No, they don’t. You didn’t cite examples of themes you yourself identified. Let’s try again, with the question as I intended to type it:
Quote passages from the text that apply to these four points.
Certainly, here are specific passages from "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens that illustrate the mentioned themes:
Wealth and Poverty:
"There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France."
Huh? What do large jaws & plain or fair faces have to do with wealth & poverty? I guess we’re supposed to assume the kings & queens are wealthy?
Love and Hatred:
"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other. A solemn consideration, when I enter a great city by night, that every one of those darkly clustered houses encloses its own secret; that every room in every one of them encloses its own secret; that every beating heart in the hundreds of thousands of breasts there, is, in some of its imaginings, a secret to the heart nearest it!"
Hearts & breasts still don’t signify love & hate.
Sacrifice and Selfishness:
"I would ask you to believe that he has a heart he very, very seldom reveals, and that there are deep wounds in it. My dear, I have seen it bleeding."
Deep wounds in a heart might suggest sacrifice, but not necessarily, & still no selfishness.
Conflict and Resolution:
"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."
Same as previous example.
These passages provide a glimpse into the rich thematic content of Dickens' work, showcasing the interplay of contrasting elements and the depth of emotion within the narrative.
Well, you did point out some emotion, but you *didn’t* showcase the contrasting elements, AND then you said you did!
CONCLUSION:
ChatGPT, et al. definitely have their uses, & I’m sure they’ll improve with time, but they won’t be taking over the world anytime soon!
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