Aging Capriciously

Oh, when will they ever learn?  Oh, when will they ever learn?

For hundreds of years now, we have had technological change.  And for hundreds of years humans have been fighting it.  Trying to reverse change and put Pandora’s evils back in the box.  But that is where we go wrong.  We see things that we do not understand and we label them as “evil.”

Humanity began maybe a million years ago.  The first humans were hunters and gatherers.  10,000 or so years ago humans learned the art of agriculture.  The Age of Agriculture lasted until the advent of machines and industrial technology.  The Industrial Age began in the middle 18^th Century.  It lasted until the mid-20^th Century.  The next age to come was the Information/Computer Age.  This age began about 1950 and by my reckoning lasted until about the middle 1980’s.

What I want to call the Age of the Internet began with browsers, world wide web and social media platforms in the middle 1980’s.  The Age of the Internet lasted from about 1985 to 2020.  A few years ago, computers became so powerful that no chess player or mathematician could stand against a computer.  Computers can now outdraw, outfire and outshoot any human being.  We have programs that can draw as good as most humans and write as good as most humans.  We have now entered the Age of Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial Intelligences is defined as “The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.” — Oxford Dictionary Online

As with all new technologies, from fire, to steam engines to airplanes to computers, the detractors are out in force.  These are the people who cannot accept new technology.  They see any changes as evil and want to put them back into the box.  The lines are being drawn as to whether we will move forward or backwards with Artificial Intelligence.  But there is no going backwards.  You can never put the demons back into the box.

Oh, when will they ever learn?  Oh, when will they ever learn?

A new Artificial Intelligence (AI) program called Chat GPT writes so well that one of the most sacred cows of education is being threatened.  Students do not have to plagiarize anymore; they can simply ask Chat GPT to do an essay or address a theme for them and it will come up with some unbelievable results.  I tried the program myself the other day and obtained some very remarkable results.  I asked it the following questions:  Chat GPT’s replies follow each of my questions.

John:

“What are the secrets to a happy life?”

Chat GPT: 

As an AI language model, I can provide some insights on what research and studies suggest can lead to a happier life. Here are some of the most commonly cited secrets to a happy life:

• Cultivate positive relationships: Strong social connections and healthy relationships with family, friends, and community can bring joy, meaning, and purpose to life.
• Practice gratitude: Focusing on the good things in your life and being thankful for them can improve your overall well-being.
• Engage in activities that bring you joy: Pursue hobbies, interests, and activities that make you happy and give you a sense of accomplishment.
• Take care of your physical health: Regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep can boost your energy, reduce stress, and improve your mood.
• Develop a positive mindset: Cultivate a positive attitude and learn to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones.
• Set goals and work towards them: Having a sense of purpose and working towards meaningful goals can increase happiness and satisfaction.
• Be kind and help others: Acts of kindness towards others can boost your own happiness and well-being.

Keep in mind that everyone’s definition of happiness is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. However, incorporating these secrets into your life can help increase your overall well-being and lead to a happier life.

John: 

“How do I get better at playing a musical instrument?”

Chat GPT:

Getting better at playing a musical instrument takes practice, dedication, and patience. Here are some tips to help you improve:

• Set achievable goals: Decide on specific goals you want to achieve and break them down into smaller, manageable steps. This can help you stay motivated and see progress over time.
• Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key to improving your skills. Aim to practice every day or several times a week, even if it’s just for a short period of time.
• Focus on technique: Make sure you have a solid foundation of technique and work on improving it regularly. Pay attention to your posture, hand and finger placement, and other technical aspects of playing.
• Listen and learn: Listen to recordings of skilled musicians playing your instrument and try to emulate their techniques and style. Attend live performances or watch videos of performances online to gain inspiration and insights.
• Seek feedback: Get feedback from experienced musicians or teachers who can help you identify areas for improvement and provide guidance on how to address them.
• Experiment with different styles: Try playing different genres of music to broaden your skills and keep things interesting.
• Stay motivated: Keep your passion for music alive by reminding yourself why you enjoy playing your instrument and setting new challenges for yourself.

Remember, improving your skills on a musical instrument takes time and effort, but with dedication and practice, you can make progress and achieve your goals.

John:

“Who was the greatest philosopher who ever lived?”

As an AI language model, I cannot provide a subjective opinion on who the greatest philosopher who ever lived was, as the answer may vary depending on personal beliefs, cultural background, and philosophical preferences. Additionally, different philosophers have made important contributions to various branches of philosophy, including ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, logic, and aesthetics.

Some of the most influential philosophers throughout history include Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and many others. Each philosopher has contributed to the field of philosophy in their unique way, and their ideas have shaped and influenced the development of Western and Eastern philosophy.

It is important to recognize that philosophy is a diverse field, and different philosophers have made significant contributions to our understanding of the world and our place in it. Ultimately, the choice of who the greatest philosopher ever lived is subjective and dependent on individual interpretation and perspective.

The replies to each of my questions were generated in less than two minutes for each one and probably closer to one minute.  I don’t know what you think about each of these answers, but I was very impressed.  I would probably say that they were just as good as I could have done if not better.  We now have the power to perhaps make every living human being a genius in the sense that the questions one asks are more important than the answers.

Long ago, I learned that the essence of critical thinking is asking critical questions.  I have never met a teacher who did not think that critical thinking was the most important skill a student could learn.  Unfortunately for our students, schools are being run by politicians who believe that tests are critical for student learning.  Every public school in the country must kowtow to ignorant politicians who measure learning by test scores.  In addition, we have a primitive education system that treats all students the same and moves them all through a system of grades and courses with the goal of creating some uniform outcome.  It has never happened, and it never will.  Modern education curriculums should be tailored to the skills and goals of each individual student.

Oh, when will they ever learn?  Oh, when will they ever learn?

We are now at another major crossroads in history.  We can learn to use the best of AI to help humanity achieve its goals and objectives or we can engage in fruitless fights to stem the development of AI and to prohibit people from using it. There is no doubt that technology can have both positive and negative elements.  However, we cannot address the negative elements of AI by ignoring the technology and or by pretending that it does not exist.   We are in the 21^st Century.  Isn’t it about time that we learn from the past?