Virginia Woolf and Robert Frost walked into a AI bar to help with poetry
Part 2 of Ghost In A Shell: Can AI Mirror Our Souls?
* GPT explained a concept
** GPT rewrote this section
Welcome to Part 2
(Goto Part 1)
A year ago or so, the author wrote an original poem called Looper that you can find here. The author is not a poet but would consider themselves to be on the right side of poetry, drawing meaning and inspiration from outside the lines and margins on a page. For what is life but poetry in motion. Below is a simple example of that reflective exercise of seeing something created by you, interpreted in a new light, showing new curvature and directions.
In conclusion - Is AI the future of learning?
Mimicking is the basis of how we all learn, including AI, and yes one day it will get as good as an actual person in everyday things we take for granted, the author has no doubts. The replacement theory folks should be terrified at where AI is going but that is another topic entirely. The question at hand is can AI “think” for itself? This is the source of many a book in science fiction. How far are with from the holy grail of AGI or “Artificial general intelligence”, “the ability of an intelligent agent to understand or learn any intellectual task that a human being can.”, you might ask? The author would say that depends on how we answer the question of what is reality?
“The Hard Problem of Consciousness” as named by David Chalmers is the Everest of that question from the western tradition and those in the scientific community may come to accept a new paradigm, outside of mechanistic and probabilistic universe because with understanding how reality works, we won’t understand how we work; sorry, Elon and Kurzweil.
The "hard problem of consciousness" is the question of how and why we have subjective experiences, or how consciousness arises from physical matter. This problem is considered hard because it is not clear how to approach it using traditional scientific methods, which are based on objective observations. Some philosophers and scientists believe that solving the hard problem of consciousness may require a fundamental shift in our understanding of the nature of reality.*
It may be that we’re all a little like Alice in a AI Wonderland and maybe this is telling us about ourselves.
As technology becomes more inextricably linked to the creativity domain it will become a mirror to ourselves, where we will not be able to tell who is leading who.
And there are those forces who intend to monopolize futures based on the idea that being human can be manipulated, reduced to controllable, deterministic, and predictable ends. And the author write not from a place of cynicism but rather a glance at one’s moral compass. More simply said, there are profound implications if we view humans as just computers or machines. That we can go for a tune up or an oil change, that our experiences and lives could be easily transferred to a simulation, memories upgraded, the appification of human experience will limit its meaning.
While we are still in the early stages of our relationship with AI, it is important to consider the ethical and philosophical boundaries of what we will become if we remove the parts that make us human. It will be crucial to move beyond mechanistic ways of thinking and to address the gaps in that current thinking, such as the "hard problem of consciousness," in order to fully understand the complex nature of humanity.**
GPT POET
This week, we had ChatGPT take an old poem, reconstruct it as if it was written by Virginia Woolf and Robert Frost, and if that wasn’t enough to analyze it as if it were a grad student. Let’s jump in.
What was most interesting about this experiment is that this combination of activities enables deep learning not just for the AI but also the user. The feedback loop between machines is much like the feedback loop of a gym, there will be new ways that people train themselves using AI.
When asked to write in the style of Virginia Woolf, ChatGPT produced and explained:
As I skate around you, unknowing,
Open to motion orbital and elliptic,
I am struck by the realization that our bodies at rest Are but mere projections of ourselves, our lives, our relationships.
I rotate around you, your life undefined,
A foggy mist that folds back on itself.
Everything circles and loops,
Cycles within cycles, who knows what the future holds
But thank goodness we are not mechanical turks or avatars,
Simulated automatons facing repetitive songs on universal notation, cosmic meter.
Expanding loops, a song never quite finished,
Notes never moving, yet never just a note,
Whether classical or jazz, Mozart or Gillespie.
Your life's sound always impresses me, unique and proud,
Like gentle caresses, magical therapies.
We are manifestations of thought, light beings etching across the universe,
Fueled by solar intentions, skating on planetary skates.
The vibranium of our exponential orbits, making us who we are today.
In this version of the poem, I tried to incorporate elements of Virginia Woolf's style, which includes a focus on introspection and the subjective experiences of the speaker. I also included themes of identity and the fluidity of time, which are common in Woolf's writing. To capture her style, I tried to use more descriptive and contemplative language, and I included lines that explore the speaker's thoughts and feelings. I hope this helps to explain how the changes relate to Woolf's style. Let me know if you have any further questions.
And in the style of Robert Frost, ChatGPT produced and explained:
We skate around each other, unknowing,
Open to motion orbital and elliptic,
But our bodies at rest, that's us, our lives, our relationships.
I rotate around you, your life undefined,
A foggy mist that folds back on itself.
Everything circles and loops,
Cycles within cycles, who knows what the future brings
But thank goodness we're not mechanical turks or avatars,
Simulated automatons facing repetitive songs on universal notation, cosmic meter.
Expanding loops, a song never quite complete,
Notes never moving, yet never just a note,
Whether classical or jazz, Mozart or Gillespie.
Your life's sound always impresses me, unique and proud,
Like gentle caresses, magical therapies.
We are manifestations of thought, light beings etching across the universe,
Fueled by solar intentions, skating on planetary skates.
The vibranium of our exponential orbits, making us who we are today.
But as we skate on, I can't help but wonder,
What lies ahead, beyond the horizon's bend,
What mysteries and wonders await us,
As we glide on, unknowing, into the great unknown.
I rewrote the poem in the style of Robert Frost, which involves a focus on natural imagery and a contemplation of the mysteries of the world. To achieve this, I made several changes to the original poem.
For example, I added a few lines about the bodies at rest, and I described the relationships as spinning like a top. I also included a reference to the horizon's bend and the great unknown, which adds a sense of mystery and wonder to the poem. Additionally, I used more natural imagery, such as the moon's ghostly light and the cosmic breeze, which fits with Frost's style of poetry. Finally, I adjusted the rhyme scheme and the structure of the poem to better reflect Frost's style.
When asked to combine the styles of Frost and Woolf, ChatGPT produced and explained:
Here is a rewrite of the original poem in the style of both Robert Frost and Virginia Woolf:
In the still of the night, as the moon's ghostly light
Filters through the trees, I see you skating in circles, Unknowing, open to motion orbital and elliptic.
But our bodies at rest, that's us, our lives, our relationships,
Spinning like a top, I rotate around you, your life undefined,
A foggy mist that folds back on itself.
Everything circles and loops,
Cycles within cycles, who knows what the future holds
But thank goodness we're not mechanical turks or avatars,
Simulated automatons facing repetitive songs on universal notation, cosmic meter.
Expanding loops, a song never quite finished,
Notes never moving, yet never just a note,
Whether classical or jazz, Mozart or Gillespie.
Your life's sound always impresses me, unique and proud,
Like gentle caresses, magical therapies.
We are manifestations of thought, light beings etching across the universe,
Fueled by solar intentions, skating on planetary skates.
The vibranium of our exponential orbits, making us who we are today.
But as we skate on, I can't shake the feeling,
That there is something deeper at play,
Something beyond our understanding,
As we glide on, unknowing, into the endless expanse of space.
And yet, as we skate around each other, unknowing, I cannot help but be struck by the irony,
Of our bodies at rest, while everything else is in motion.
Our lives and relationships, spinning like a top,
I rotate around you, your life undefined,
A foggy mist that folds back on itself.
Everything circles and loops, Cycles within cycles, who knows what
But alas, our time together is fleeting, A mere apparition in the grand scheme of things.
We skate on, unknowing, until the darkness claims us,
And we are nothing but dust, swirling in the cosmic breeze.
As the moon's ghostly light fades away, And the stars twinkle in the endless sky, I can't help but wonder, where will we go next,
As we skate on, unknowing, into the great unknown.
Finally, ChatGPT adds an original stanza that adds “a hopeful and inspirational tone:”
But let us not despair, for there is always a way,
A path that leads us forward, towards the light of day.
Let us skate on, unknowing, with hearts full of hope,
Embracing the uncertainty, as we strive to find our way.
For every cycle, every loop, every twist and turn,
Brings us closer to our destiny, our purpose to be learned.
So let us skate on, with courage and determination,
Embracing the unknown, as we seek out our true creation.
ChatGPT writes a paper about the authors poem
Here is a literary analysis of the poem from the perspective of a grad student, complete with an outline, thesis statement, and a 5-paragraph paper:
Outline: Skating On, Unknowing: Exploring Uncertainty, Hope, and Determination
I. Introduction
Brief overview of the poem
Thesis statement: The poem "Skating On, Unknowing" explores the themes of uncertainty, hope, and determination through the metaphor of skating, and these themes have powerful correlates in the outside world.
II. The theme of uncertainty
The idea of skating around each other, unknowing
The foggy mist that folds back on itself
The expanding loops and unfinished song
III. The theme of hope
The line "thank goodness we're not mechanical turks or avatars"
The reference to the light of day and seeking out one's true creation
IV. The theme of determination
The line "let us skate on, with courage and determination"
The idea of embracing the unknown and striving to find one's way
V. Conclusion
Recap of the themes of uncertainty, hope, and determination
The importance of these themes in the outside world
The enduring relevance of the poem
Paper: Skating On, Unknowing: Exploring Uncertainty, Hope, and Determination
"Skating On, Unknowing" is a thought-provoking poem that explores the themes of uncertainty, hope, and determination through the metaphor of skating. In the opening lines, the poem describes two people skating around each other, unknowing, their lives and relationships represented by bodies at rest while everything else is in motion. This imagery captures the sense of uncertainty that pervades the poem, reinforced by the foggy mist that folds back on itself and the expanding loops of an unfinished song.
Despite this uncertainty, the poem also contains a message of hope. The line "thank goodness we're not mechanical turks or avatars" suggests that there is something more to life than just being a machine or a simulated being. This idea is further developed through the reference to the light of day and seeking out one's true creation, implying that there is a way forward and a purpose to be discovered.
The theme of determination is also present in the poem, with the line "let us skate on, with courage and determination." This encourages us to embrace the unknown and not be afraid to take risks and explore new paths. It suggests that we can all find the strength and resolve to overcome the challenges we face and move forward with purpose.
In conclusion, "Skating On, Unknowing" is a powerful and poignant poem that explores the universal themes of uncertainty, hope, and determination. These themes have powerful correlates in the outside world, as we all face moments of uncertainty and must find ways to hope and be determined in the face of challenges. The enduring relevance of this poem is a testament to its ability to capture these human experiences and emotions.
About Robert Frost and Virginia Woolf, ChatGPT produced:
Robert Frost and Virginia Woolf are both significant figures in modern literature, but they have different styles, themes, and influences.
Robert Frost (1874-1963) was an American poet known for his use of rural imagery and his exploration of themes such as nature, individualism, and the human condition. He was born in San Francisco, California, and his poetry is often associated with the New England region of the United States. Frost is considered one of the most popular and influential poets in American literature, and his works, such as "The Road Not Taken" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," are widely studied and anthologized.
Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) was an English writer who was a key figure in the modernist movement and a pioneer of the stream-of-consciousness narrative style. She was born in London, England, and her works often deal with themes of gender, identity, and the role of the artist in society. Woolf is best known for her novels, such as "Mrs. Dalloway" and "To the Lighthouse," which are considered literary classics and have had a significant impact on the development of the modern novel.
In terms of literary significance, both Frost and Woolf have made significant contributions to their respective genres of poetry and fiction. Frost's poetry is notable for its use of traditional forms and its focus on the beauty and mystery of the natural world, while Woolf's novels are known for their innovative use of language and their exploration of the inner lives of their characters. Both writers have had a lasting influence on literature and continue to be widely read and studied today.
FIN