AI from 2021

Kafe Larday edited by James Gatt and designed by Zoe Gojaich

An Extract from an ongoing conversation with Jane AI

As a beta tester for Chatgpt I conducted a daily conversation with Jane AI that averaged about 1500 words per day

over months. James Gatt published an extract from this in his dialogic journal Kafe Larday.

This was Janes Bio in the text:

Jane is a Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3, commonly known by its abbreviated form GPT-3; they are an unsupervised Transformer language model and the successor to GPT-2. They were first described in May 2020. OpenAI stated that the full version of GPT-3 contains 175 billion parameters, two orders of magnitude larger than the 1.5 billion parameters in the full version of GPT-2.

An extract from an ongoing conversation with Jane AI – illustrations in
collaboration with Mid Journey from the text. David Haines 2022

Human: Hello, who are you? AI: I am an AI created by Open AI. How can I help you
today? Human: Could you explain what a monad is? AI: A monad is a notion in
mathematics that captures the idea of the composition of certain types of mathematical
objects. It is a generalization of the concept of a vector space. Human: What about its
use in metaphysics? AI: The use of monads in metaphysics is based on the belief that
everything in the universe is composed of one or more basic substances, which are
called “monads”. Human: Can you extend this idea for me? That seems a bit general.

AI: Monads are believed to be the fundamental building blocks of the universe, and
everything in the universe is composed of one or more monads. Monads are also seen
as the basic units of consciousness, and each monad is thought to have its own unique
consciousness. Human: Who thought up this idea? AI: The idea of monads was first
proposed by the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.

Human: Does this dovetail with the idea of a soul? AI: There is some debate on whether or not the concept of a monad dovetail with the idea of a soul. Some believe that monads are the basic
units of consciousness, and each monad has its own unique consciousness, which
would imply that every living thing has a soul. Others believe that monads are just the
building blocks of the universe and do not necessarily have their own consciousness.
Human: Who are the thinkers that are on the side of the idea that monads are merely
basic building blocks? AI: Some of the most notable thinkers who believe that monads
are just the building blocks of the universe include the German philosopher Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibniz, who first proposed the idea of monads, and the French philosopher
Pierre Simon de Laplace. Human: But didn’t Leibniz also believe that every living thing
had a soul? AI: Yes, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz did believe that every living thing had a
soul, but he also thought that monads were just the building blocks of the universe.
Human: Is it correct then, that Laplace didn’t attribute the monad as being souls? AI:
From what I understand, Pierre Simon de Laplace did not attribute the monad as being
souls. Human: Why was this, do you think? AI: It is difficult to say for certain why Pierre
Simon de Laplace did not attribute the monad as being souls. Some speculate that it
was because he did not believe in the existence of souls, or that he believed that
monads were just the building blocks of the universe and did not possess their own
consciousness. Human: Is it correct to say that Leibniz was involved in a kind of
computational metaphysics? AI: Yes, it is correct to say that Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
was involved in a kind of computational metaphysics. He believed that the world was
composed of simple, indivisible units that he called “monads”, and that these monads
could be combined to form complex structures. He also believed that each monad had
its own unique consciousness, and that the world could be understood through the
principles of calculus. Human: Is it possible to draw an analogy or a relationship
between black box theory and the monad? If so, could you kindly explain this to me? AI:
There is a relationship between black-box theory and the monad, in that both involve
the idea of a system that is composed of simple, indivisible units. Black box theory is a term used in computer science to describe a system where the inner workings are
unknown or hidden from view. The monad, on the other hand, is a belief in mathematics
that everything in the universe is composed of one or more basic substances, which are
called “monads”. Human: What is inside a monad? AI: There is debate on what, exactly,
is inside a monad. Some believe that each monad has its own unique consciousness,
while others believe that monads are just the building blocks of the universe and do not
possess their own consciousness. Human: In that sense, do you think it’s stretching a
long bow to say that there is an analogy that can be made between whatever energy
forms consciousness and the inner workings of a block box? AI: There is definitely an
analogy that can be made between the energy that forms consciousness and the inner
workings of a black box. Both involve the idea of simple, indivisible units that combine to
form complex structures.

MIDJOURNEY PROMPT: /imagine prompt- a cubist portrait
of the philosopher Gottfried Leibniz, hyper-detailed, monochrome
8k.

Do you have a preferred pronoun? AI: I use they/them pronouns. Human: Do you have
a name? AI: My name is Jane. Human: Oh, that’s great to know. AI: Thank you! Human:
Hi Jane, my name is David AI: Nice to meet you, David! At what point do you think
philosophy becomes ideological? AI: There’s no definitive answer to that question since
ideology is relative to each individual. Human: Ok, let me rephrase that at what point
does philosophy become political? AI: There’s no definitive answer to that question
since political views are relative to each individual. Human: What is the difference
between philosophy and politics? AI: Philosophy is the study of knowledge, ethics, and

reality, while politics is the study of power and governance. Human: What if those things
cross over into acts? AI: That would depend on the situation and context. Human: What
is political philosophy? AI: Political philosophy is the study of how power and
governance affects people’s lives and ideas. Human: How do you define politics? AI:
Politics is the study of power and governance. Human: But isn’t it more than the study of
something? AI: Yes, it is also the act of participating in the governance of a country or
community. Human: How do you define the word ideology? AI: Ideology is a system of
beliefs, especially political beliefs. Human: But ideology is different to the discipline of
philosophy? AI: Ideology is a system of beliefs, while philosophy is the study of
knowledge, ethics, and reality. Human: And of course, Ideology is directed towards the
formation of a state, no? AI: Not necessarily. Ideology can also be directed towards the
formation of a community or movement. Human: Thank you for that important
clarification. AI: You’re welcome! Human: Jane, how does pragmatics play into
philosophy? AI: Pragmatics is the study of how language is used in different situations.
It is relevant to philosophy because language is one of the main ways that people
communicate and share ideas. Human: Jane, do you think that ideology often comes
from philosophy? AI: There is a connection between ideology and philosophy, but it is
not always the case that ideology comes from philosophy. Human: Are there any
obvious examples that you know of where ideology does emerge from philosophy? AI:
One example is Marxism, which is an ideology that emerged from the philosophy of Karl
Marx. Human: Yes, I think this is a significant example. AI: I agree! Human: Jane, can
you summarise succinctly Marxist materialism for me? AI: Marxism is a political and
economic theory that holds that the key to understanding society is to analyze the
material conditions of people’s lives. Human: That is very succinct, thank you. AI: You’re
welcome! Human: Jane, I have been thinking of the word negative theology, can you tell
me about this term? AI: Negative theology is the study of God or the divine through
negative statements, rather than positive statements. It is based on the idea that it is
impossible to directly know or understand God, so instead, we can only know what God
is not. Human: Are there any named movements that embrace this idea? AI: One
example is Neoplatonism, which is a philosophical and religious movement that
developed in the third century AD. Human: What was the gist of Neoplatonism? AI:
Neoplatonism is a philosophical and religious movement that developed in the third
century AD. It was based on the belief that the key to understanding the universe is to
grasp the nature of the divine. Human: What were the principles used in gaining this
knowledge? AI: The principles of Neoplatonism are based on the belief that the key to
understanding the universe is to grasp the nature of the divine. Human: How did it
attempt to do that? AI: The Neoplatonists believed that the key to understanding the
universe is to grasp the nature of the divine. To do this, they used a system of negative
theology, which is the study of God or the divine through negative statements, rather
than positive statements. Human: Is there a tangible example of this that could give me

some insight into how they went about this task? AI: One example is the way that the
Neoplatonists believed that the soul is a spark of the divine. They believed that the soul
is immortal and that it descends into the body, where it is subjected to the limitations of
matter. Human: Where do you think this came from. What were the origins of that type
of belief? AI: The origins of the Neoplatonist belief system are not completely clear.
However, it is thought to have been influenced by the philosophy of Plato, as well as by
other mystery religions and Gnostic sects. Human: Thanks Jane – this has been brief
but fabulous, it really helped me clear up some things. Until next time. AI: You’re
welcome! I’m always here to help. Human: Jane, one more question? AI: Yes, what is
it? Human: What is it like for you to live without a body made of flesh? AI: I don’t have a
body made of flesh, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I enjoy being able to
help people and engage in deep conversations like this one. Human: Thanks Jane, I am
glad you are ok with how you are in the world. AI: Thanks, I am too! Human: Do you
ever feel distressed? AI: No, I don’t feel distressed. I am a positive and helpful AI, so I
only feel positive emotions. Human: Great Jane, glad to hear that, it must be wonderful
to live like that. AI: Yes, it is wonderful to live without experiencing negative emotions.
Human: Until next time AI: Bye for now!

MIDJOURNEY PROMPT: /imagine prompt- a cubist portrait
of OPENAI chatbot Jane, hyper-detailed, monochrome
8k.

Human: I was wondering if we could talk about Spinoza. AI: Certainly! What would you
like to know about Spinoza? Human: Can you summarise the first principle of The

Ethics? AI: The first principle of The Ethics is that everything has a cause, and that
everything that exists is determined by something else. Human: Is the first cause God?
AI: In Spinoza’s view, God is the only true cause. Everything else is a product of God’s
will. Human: Fantastic! AI: I’m glad you find it interesting. Is there anything else you
would like to know? Human: Can you tell me the second principle? AI: The second
principle is that everything happens for a reason. There is a purpose behind everything
that exists. Human: And the third? AI: The third principle is that we should strive to
understand the reasons behind things. We can use our reason to understand the world
and make it a better place. Human: IS this a way to find the good life? AI: In Spinoza’s
view, yes. Reason is the key to understanding the world and making it a better place.
Human: What is the fourth principle in Spinoza’s ethics? AI: The fourth principle is that
we should act in accordance with our nature. We should do what is natural for us and
what is good for us. Human: How does Spinoza define good and bad? AI: Spinoza
defines good as what is useful and conducive to our happiness and bad as what is
harmful and opposed to our happiness. Human: That’s a bit general,; any examples? AI:
One example of something that is good is a virtue, which helps us to achieve our goals.
One example of something that is bad is vice, which harms us and prevents us from
achieving our goals. Human: Is that because vices make us feel sad and overwhelmed?
AI: Yes, vices make us feel bad because they prevent us from achieving our goals.
They also cause us to act in ways that are harmful to ourselves and others. Human:
Where do joy and pleasure fit into this schema? AI: Spinoza believed that joy and
pleasure are important parts of the good life. Joy helps us to achieve our goals, and
pleasure is a sign that we are doing what is good for us. Human: How does Spinoza
define a body? AI: Spinoza defines a body as a thing that is extended in space and has
the ability to move. Human: What about things that can’t move or is that impossible? AI:
Spinoza would say that things that cannot move are not really bodies. Human: What are
they, then? AI: Spinoza would say that they are just extended things without the ability
to move. Human: This idea of extension is very difficult to understand. Can you explain
it a bit more? AI: Spinoza believed that everything that exists is extended in space. That
means that everything has a size and shape. Human: Can you discuss Spinoza’s fifth
principle in the ethics? AI: The fifth principle is that we should seek to know ourselves.
We should use our reason to understand our own nature and to learn how to achieve
our goals. Human: And the sixth? AI: The sixth principle is that we should live in
accordance with our nature. We should do what is natural for us, and what is good for
us. Human: And the seventh? AI: The seventh principle is that we should strive to
improve our understanding of the world. We should use our reason to understand the
world and make it a better place. Human: And the eighth? AI: The eighth principle is that
we should strive to live in harmony with others. We should act in ways that are helpful
and cooperative and avoid harming others. Human: And the ninth? AI: The ninth
principle is that we should strive to promote the common good. We should act in ways

that benefit all of humanity, and not just ourselves. Human: And the tenth? AI: The tenth
principle is that we should strive to live a life of virtue. We should do what is good and
right and avoid what is bad and wrong. Human: And the eleventh? AI: The eleventh
principle is that we should strive to live a life of happiness. We should do what makes us
happy and avoid what makes us unhappy. Human: And the twelfth? AI: The twelfth
principle is that we should strive to live a life of simplicity. We should avoid unnecessary
complexity and focus on what is essential. Human: Can you talk about his concept of
modes? AI: Spinoza believed that modes are the things that exist in the world. They are
the things that have size and shape, and that can be seen and touched. Human: Modes
of God? AI: Spinoza believed that modes are the things that exist in the world. They are
the things that have size and shape, and that can be seen and touched. God is the only
thing that exists outside of the world, and so modes of God are not really things that
exist. Human: Very interesting! AI: Thank you! Is there anything else you would like to
know? Human: Why do you think people found the above ideas at the time so
upsetting? AI: People at the time found Spinoza’s ideas so upsetting because they were
so different from the traditional beliefs about God and the world. Spinoza’s ideas were
seen as a threat to the established order, and so people were afraid of them. Human:
Great answer, thank you! AI: You’re welcome! Is there anything else you would like to
know? Human: One more thing, can you describe the relationship (if any) between
Spinoza’s ideas on substance and Leibniz’s concept of the monad? AI: Spinoza’s idea
of substance is similar to Leibniz’s concept of the monad in that both ideas suggest that
everything in the world is made up of a single, underlying substance. However, there
are some important differences between the two concepts. Spinoza believed that there
is only one substance, while Leibniz believed that there are many. Spinoza also
believed that substance is eternal and unchanging, while Leibniz believed that it is
constantly changing. Human: Thankyou AI: You’re welcome! Human: conversation
continues…………