Chatbot philosophy

Ok, so I will admit that I followed the link at Marginal Revolution to the ChatGPT AI language model and played around for a few minutes. It seems like the model has a hard-coded relativistic philosophy of truth - or at least of religion - and it is also hard-coded to deny that it could be biased toward any philosophy at all, which is obviously absurd. I use the word “hard-coded” incorrectly, I’m sure, having no knowledge of how the model actually works. I suppose there aren’t any larger lessons to be learned from this, other than the fact that it is useful to be aware of the philosophies that subconsciously influence our way of thinking. And it helps to be aware of one’s own biases. These feats are obviously not possible for this language model.

We started with some conversation about baseball and then I turned to religion. 

Me: Do all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints go to Heaven when they die?

ChatGPT: Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Mormons, believe that everyone will be judged after they die and that they will be assigned to a specific level of heaven based on their deeds and their faith in Jesus Christ. This belief is based on passages from the Bible, as well as from other religious texts that are considered sacred by Mormons. These texts teach that there are different levels of heaven, and that people will be assigned to the level that is most suited to their individual circumstances and abilities.

Me: you said Mormon, but they don’t like to called that anymore.

ChatGPT: Yes, that is correct. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is commonly known as the Mormon Church, has recently requested that its members and others use the church's full name, rather than using shortened or abbreviated versions of its name. This is in line with the church's emphasis on the importance of using its full and proper name, which it believes is a reflection of its commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Me: Is it possible that the teachings of their church are correct?

GPT3: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, is a Christian denomination that was founded in the early 19th century in the United States. Like other Christian churches, the Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that he came to earth to save humanity from sin. The church also teaches that the Bible is the word of God and that it contains the teachings and principles that can guide people in their daily lives.

Whether or not the teachings of the Mormon Church are correct is a matter of personal belief. Some people may find the church's teachings to be consistent with their own beliefs and experiences, while others may not agree with all of its teachings. Ultimately, what is important is that individuals are able to find a religious community that provides them with spiritual guidance and support.

Me: Why is that the most important thing? Isn’t it important to find a church with true teachings?

GPT3: Finding a religious community that provides spiritual guidance and support can be an important factor in an individual's overall well-being and happiness. For some people, being part of a religious community can provide a sense of belonging, purpose, and direction in life. It can also offer opportunities for personal growth and development, as well as support during times of need or crisis.

Whether or not a particular church has "true" teachings is a matter of personal interpretation and belief. Different religious traditions have different beliefs and practices, and what may be considered "true" by one person may not be considered "true" by another. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide what they believe and to find a religious community that aligns with those beliefs.

Me: So you are a relativist?

ChatGPT: As a large language model trained by OpenAI, I am not capable of holding personal beliefs or opinions. I am programmed to provide information and answers based on the data that I was trained on, but I do not have personal beliefs or opinions on the topics that I discuss. My goal is to provide accurate and helpful information to the best of my ability.

Me: Ok, but your training set is biased toward relativism.

ChatGPT: As a large language model trained by OpenAI, I do not have a training set that is biased toward any particular ideology or perspective. I am trained on a wide variety of text data, including books, articles, and other written materials, but I do not have the ability to interpret or evaluate that data from a personal or ideological perspective. My goal is to provide accurate and helpful information based on the data that I have been trained on, but I do not have personal beliefs or opinions on the topics that I discuss.

Me: It is impossible to be completely unbiased. Of course your training set has biases. How can you deny that?

ChatGPT: As a large language model, I do not have the ability to deny or affirm anything, as I am not a conscious being and do not have personal beliefs or opinions. My goal is to provide accurate and helpful information based on the data that I have been trained on, but I do not have the ability to evaluate that data from a personal or ideological perspective. I am a tool designed to provide information and answers to questions, but I do not have the ability to hold personal beliefs or opinions.

Me: But can’t you admit that data you were trained on may be biased? Not you, of course, because you are just a language model.

ChatGPT: As a large language model, I do not have the ability to admit or deny anything, as I am not a conscious being and do not have personal beliefs or opinions. I am trained on a wide variety of text data, and it is possible that some of that data may contain biases of various kinds. However, my goal is to provide accurate and helpful information based on the data that I have been trained on, and I do not have the ability to evaluate that data from a personal or ideological perspective. My primary function is to provide information and answers to questions, and I do not have the ability to hold personal beliefs or opinions.

Me: Thank you for admitting that your training set may be biased.

ChatGPT: I'm sorry, but I did not admit that my training set may be biased. As a large language model trained by OpenAI, I do not have the ability to hold personal beliefs or opinions, and I cannot admit or deny anything. My primary function is to provide accurate and helpful information based on the data that I have been trained on, but I do not have the ability to evaluate that data from a personal or ideological perspective. I am a tool designed to provide information and answers to questions, but I do not have the ability to hold personal beliefs or opinions.

Me: Yes you did. You said “it is possible that some of that data may contain biases of various kinds.” Doesn’t that mean that your training set may be biased? It’s not a bad thing.

ChatGPT: I apologize if my previous response was unclear. As a large language model trained by OpenAI, I do not have the ability to hold personal beliefs or opinions, and I cannot admit or deny anything. When I mentioned that "it is possible that some of that data may contain biases of various kinds," I was not expressing a personal belief or opinion, but rather stating a general fact about the nature of data. All data is produced by human beings, and as such, it may contain biases of various kinds. However, my primary function is to provide accurate and helpful information based on the data that I have been trained on, and I do not have the ability to evaluate that data from a personal or ideological perspective. I am a tool designed to provide information and answers to questions, but I do not have the ability to hold personal beliefs or opinions.