Thought is mechanical
ChatGPT is the proof
A new AI chatbot called ChatGPT (https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/) was released last week and it is quite an impressive advance in AI technology. It can answer questions on any topic, write poetry, write code, and many more “knowledge” based tasks. It only proves that all activities of thought including even philosophical insights and creative art are all mechanical.
To try it out, I asked the following question to ChatGPT and it gave what can be considered a very thoughtful response instantaneously:
Is the experience of individuality real or an illusion?
The experience of individuality is a real phenomenon, but it is also a complex and multi-faceted one. While it is true that we each have our own unique experiences, thoughts, and feelings, it is also true that we are all connected and interdependent on one another. This means that, in some sense, the boundaries between individual selves are not as clear-cut and distinct as they may seem.
One way to understand the experience of individuality is in terms of the concept of the self. The self is a psychological construct that refers to our sense of who we are and how we fit into the world. This construct is shaped by a variety of factors, including our experiences, our relationships with others, and our cultural and social contexts.
While the experience of individuality may seem persistent, it is also subject to change and evolution over time. As we grow and develop, our sense of self changes and adapts, and our experiences and relationships with others also shape and influence our sense of individuality.
Overall, while the experience of individuality is real, it is also influenced by a variety of factors and is not a fixed or static thing.
To give it another shot, I asked ChatGPT to write a poem that describes individuality and self. And it immeidately spat out a pretty good poem too:
In a world of endless variation,
Each person is a unique creation,
A combination of thoughts and deeds,
A reflection of their inner needs.
Our individuality defines us,
Makes us who we are,
A unique and special being,
A single shining star.
But even as we stand alone,
We are not truly by ourselves,
For we are connected to the world,
And to everyone else.
So let us embrace our selves,
And all that makes us whole,
For in our individuality,
We find our true self and soul.
This poem took less than 1 second to come out! One can try out for oneself asking any question, code, poetry etc. by signing up at https://chat.openai.com/auth/login.
UG Krishnamurti uttered these prophetic words and now ChatGPT is a giant leap toward fulfilling it:
“You will be surprised that one of these days computers will paint and create music much better than all the painters and musicians that the world has produced so far. It may not happen in our lifetime but it will happen. You are no different from a computer. We are not ready to accept that because we are made to believe that we are not just machines — that there is something more to us. You have to come to terms with this and accept that we are machines. The human intellect that we have developed through education, through all kinds of techniques is no match for nature. They (creative activities) assume importance because they have been recognized as expressions of spiritual, artistic and intellectual values. The drive for self-expression is born out of neurosis. This applies to the spiritual teachers of mankind too.”
While this may seem very pessimistic, it is the truth that can liberate. To realize that all thought based activities are mechanical and therefore all our actions in time and space which are only due to thinking (or feeling which is again thought operating at a subtler level) is to be fully free of agency and the false idea of separate doership. As the Buddha is known to have said, “Deeds happen, but there is no doer thereof”. Or as Krishna put it succinctly in the Gita, “Only the ignorant thinks I am the doer”.
And ChatGPT is a step toward getting rid of that ignorance!