Yep, "the medium is the message," he famously said. He was among the first to think carefully about how technology not only changes the *way* we do things, it changes *what we do*. For example, when people had to walk almost everywhere, or interact with horses, the meaning of movement, travel, transport, etc., was different for them than it is for us with cars and planes. It has changed the way we perceive and think about distances, belonging, home, vacation, etc. A radical change, in fact, and that's not even talking about obvious consequences like almost everyone being overweight now due to lack of activity.
Not to mention countless other unintended consequences. Now all my darkest musings about the internet being turned into a counterfeit "holy" spirit enabling a new "silicon calf" and even a feasible model for the perfect idol have been given wings by, of all things, "Catholic Answers." I suppose it had to be this way.
Without denigrating the good work CA has done, I find it peculiarly sinister, like something out of Benson's "Lord of the World," that an organization called "Catholic Answers" is creating a machine that gives non-Catholic non-answers. I say "non-answers" because if you look at the AI-generated dialogues that I shared, the only way to get to something like the truth is to have an already-educated Catholic pushing the AI to get things right.
I noticed that when playing around w/ChatGPT a while back. Short on absolutes; long on disclaimers and "apologies" for "misunderstanding." (As you say, better suited for sifting easily-verifiable data).
As with so much of what emanates from "authorities" now, it offers thin gruel to the masses; those who insist on meat are perhaps an annoying and easily marginalized minority.
Has anybody contacted Catholic Answers to ask about the controversial answers or to see if they offer a correction? If they are contacted and support the answers, then the AI bot by any name is created in their own image.
My sense is that Mr. Check has doubled down on the usefulness of the AI, and that he would defend the dialogues about the death penalty and papal authority.
Thank you Dr Kwasniewski. I note three things in order of their springing to mind:
First, the AI controversy surrounding Catholic Answers is news to me. This delights me, insofar that it suggests I am spending much less time on YouTube than previously.
Secondly, all spiritual advice, whether communicated by a proxy medium, must come whole, complete, and intact, from one 'soul' to another 'soul'.
Third, your notes on out-of-context quotations reminds me strikingly of some unreason and untheology internet megaphones who have doctorates in uncontext.
This morning I asked the Brave Browser (named "Leo"): "Who are the 4 great Doctors of the West?" Leo responded that this often refers to the theological and philosophical doctors of the Christian West, and listed them as follows: Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, and Blaise Pascal. ROFLOL so much for AI.
"...No bad things only bad uses of things.." I think Marshall McLuhan would disagree; in fact, I think he did, in "Understanding Media," iirc.
Excellent analysis, thank you.
Yep, "the medium is the message," he famously said. He was among the first to think carefully about how technology not only changes the *way* we do things, it changes *what we do*. For example, when people had to walk almost everywhere, or interact with horses, the meaning of movement, travel, transport, etc., was different for them than it is for us with cars and planes. It has changed the way we perceive and think about distances, belonging, home, vacation, etc. A radical change, in fact, and that's not even talking about obvious consequences like almost everyone being overweight now due to lack of activity.
Not to mention countless other unintended consequences. Now all my darkest musings about the internet being turned into a counterfeit "holy" spirit enabling a new "silicon calf" and even a feasible model for the perfect idol have been given wings by, of all things, "Catholic Answers." I suppose it had to be this way.
Without denigrating the good work CA has done, I find it peculiarly sinister, like something out of Benson's "Lord of the World," that an organization called "Catholic Answers" is creating a machine that gives non-Catholic non-answers. I say "non-answers" because if you look at the AI-generated dialogues that I shared, the only way to get to something like the truth is to have an already-educated Catholic pushing the AI to get things right.
I noticed that when playing around w/ChatGPT a while back. Short on absolutes; long on disclaimers and "apologies" for "misunderstanding." (As you say, better suited for sifting easily-verifiable data).
As with so much of what emanates from "authorities" now, it offers thin gruel to the masses; those who insist on meat are perhaps an annoying and easily marginalized minority.
But that's just my apocalyptic self talking.
Your "apocalyptic self" simply has his eyes open and his mind working.
Thank you, Dr. K.
Has anybody contacted Catholic Answers to ask about the controversial answers or to see if they offer a correction? If they are contacted and support the answers, then the AI bot by any name is created in their own image.
My sense is that Mr. Check has doubled down on the usefulness of the AI, and that he would defend the dialogues about the death penalty and papal authority.
That may be, but it is only fair to give him the opportunity one way or the other.
Thank you Dr Kwasniewski. I note three things in order of their springing to mind:
First, the AI controversy surrounding Catholic Answers is news to me. This delights me, insofar that it suggests I am spending much less time on YouTube than previously.
Secondly, all spiritual advice, whether communicated by a proxy medium, must come whole, complete, and intact, from one 'soul' to another 'soul'.
Third, your notes on out-of-context quotations reminds me strikingly of some unreason and untheology internet megaphones who have doctorates in uncontext.
God bless you.
So true (on all counts)!
This use of AI is so stupid and dangerous...
This morning I asked the Brave Browser (named "Leo"): "Who are the 4 great Doctors of the West?" Leo responded that this often refers to the theological and philosophical doctors of the Christian West, and listed them as follows: Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, and Blaise Pascal. ROFLOL so much for AI.