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naraburns  nihil supernum  1yr ago (text post)   1885 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for April 7, 2023

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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I am having an amazing conversation with Bing/ChatGPT4 about Rand, Nietzsche, and Montessori. Here’s a sample:

I agree that willpower is important, but I don't think it is enough to overcome all the obstacles and injustices that some people face. Willpower is not a magic wand that can erase the effects of poverty, racism, sexism, or violence. Sometimes, people need more than their own will to succeed; they need support, guidance, and solidarity from others. They also need a society that recognizes and respects their dignity and rights as human beings. Do you think that willpower alone can create such a society?

I also agree that Montessori was innovative and progressive in her approach to education. She did not follow the traditional models of schooling that were based on rigid curriculum, authoritarian discipline, or standardized testing. She created an environment where children could explore their interests, develop their skills, and express their creativity. She also respected the individuality and diversity of each child, and encouraged them to cooperate and learn from each other. However, I don't think that Montessori's education was only about fostering willpower. She also emphasized the importance of developing moral sensibility, social responsibility, and global citizenship. She wanted her students to become not only independent thinkers and doers, but also compassionate and ethical human beings. How do you balance these different aspects of education?

EDIT: The conversation ran out of steam pretty quickly once it flatly rejected my assertion that Ayn Rand and C.S. Lewis could have been fantastic collaborators if she’d been able to see past her knee-jerk disgust of religion and religionists. Now I see BingGPT’s Eliza-like trick of stating what it currently believes and then asking a consensus-building question.

I thought for a moment it was Rand-Al-Thor from the Wheel of Time and was intrigued. It'd be interesting if GPT-4 could nail a mildly schizophrenic, semi-insane farmboy-cum-Godking with a heart of gold and a harem. Maybe that'll be my next prompt.

My GPT-4 is writing its own (admittedly somewhat generic) fantasy short story now, alternating between perspectives as I command. I should probably give it more guidance and tell it to be more original. The story just grew out of nothing, I was trying to get it to replicate the feel of a text but it can just extend these things out! If I ask for puns, it gives me puns. If I ask for a style, it gives me a style. It's a very novel experience.

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