Apparently today is National Science Fiction Day. <\/span>While also writing an article about the Bible and AI, I tested out the latest version of ChatGPT available at the time (ChatGPT4o<\/a>, with the letter \u2018o\u2019 abbreviating omni) as well as the specific customized version called Scholar GPT, to see what they can do and how I need to adjust my assignments in light of improvements. What better test than to ask Scholar GPT to compare the two fictional religions that feature in the novels I taught this past semester? I had students read\u00a0Parable of the Sower<\/em><\/a> and\u00a0Parable of the Talents<\/em><\/a> by Octavia Butler<\/a> and\u00a0Year of the Flood<\/em><\/a> by Margaret Atwood<\/a>. This was the result:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n **Earthseed** and **God\u2019s Gardeners** are two fictional religions explored in speculative fiction, both of which offer insights into the authors\u2019 perceptions of society, environmental concerns, and the future of humanity. Below, I provide a comparative analysis based on the origins, beliefs, practices, and thematic roles of these religions in their respective narratives.<\/p>\n ### 1. **Background and Origins**<\/p>\n \u2013 **Earthseed**: Found in Octavia Butler\u2019s *Parable* series, Earthseed is a religion founded by the protagonist, Lauren Olamina. Earthseed is born out of a dystopian America where society has collapsed due to environmental disasters and economic hardships. The central belief is that \u201cGod is Change,\u201d emphasizing adaptability and resilience.<\/p>\n \u2013 **God\u2019s Gardeners**: Featured in Margaret Atwood\u2019s *MaddAddam Trilogy*, particularly in *The Year of the Flood*, God\u2019s Gardeners is a small eco-religious group led by Adam One. The group arises in response to rampant consumerism and environmental degradation. They advocate for living in harmony with nature, using religious narratives to champion ecological sustainability.<\/p>\n ### 2. **Core Beliefs and Teachings**<\/p>\n \u2013 **Earthseed**: \u2013 **God\u2019s Gardeners**: ### 3. **Practices and Rituals**<\/p>\n \u2013 **Earthseed**: Practices focus on self-reliance, education, and preparation for space colonization. Followers are encouraged to understand and adapt to change actively. Community and mutual support are crucial in the chaotic environment they inhabit.<\/p>\n \u2013 **God\u2019s Gardeners**: Their practices include vegetarianism, avoidance of most modern technologies, and the celebration of religious holidays that honor natural processes and ecological heroes. They maintain gardens on rooftops in urban settings as part of their commitment to living in accord with nature.<\/p>\n ### 4. **Role in the Narrative**<\/p>\n \u2013 **Earthseed** serves as a philosophical foundation through which Butler explores themes of survival, community, and human destiny. It also provides a framework for critiquing existing social and religious norms.<\/p>\n \u2013 **God\u2019s Gardeners** is integral to Atwood\u2019s exploration of bioethical issues and the consequences of genetic engineering and environmental neglect. It contrasts with the more corrupt and materialistic elements of society depicted in the trilogy.<\/p>\n ### 5. **Thematic Significance**<\/p>\n \u2013 **Earthseed** addresses themes of adaptability and resilience in the face of societal collapse. It posits that humanity\u2019s future lies beyond Earth and emphasizes proactive preparation for change.<\/p>\n \u2013 **God\u2019s Gardeners** underscores the importance of ecological balance and reflects anxieties about the current trajectory of environmental exploitation and its consequences. It offers a critique of consumer culture and highlights the potential for spiritual and practical reform.<\/p>\n Both religions reflect their authors\u2019 engagement with contemporary social issues through the lens of speculative fiction, providing a rich ground for discussion on how humanity might navigate the challenges of an uncertain future. These fictional beliefs also serve as vehicles for their respective authors to propose radical, yet philosophically profound responses to global crises.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n That\u2019s impressive, I think you\u2019ll agree. I was even more impressed by its follow-up, when I asked which of the two religions would be more effective in addressing today\u2019s problems if the religion existed in the real world. Here is the response ChatGPT generated:<\/p>\n When evaluating which fictional religion\u2014Earthseed or God\u2019s Gardeners\u2014might be more effective in addressing today\u2019s real-world problems, it\u2019s crucial to consider the specific issues at hand such as environmental degradation, social instability, and the search for sustainable futures. Here\u2019s a breakdown of how each might apply to contemporary challenges:<\/p>\n ### Earthseed<\/p>\n **Strengths**: **Weaknesses**: ### God\u2019s Gardeners<\/p>\n **Strengths**: **Weaknesses**: ### Conclusion<\/p>\n Both religions offer valuable perspectives, but their effectiveness would largely depend on the specific problems being addressed: Ultimately, integrating aspects of both\u2014God\u2019s Gardeners\u2019 practical, immediate environmental solutions and Earthseed\u2019s adaptable, resilient outlook on change\u2014could provide a comprehensive approach to contemporary global challenges.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This was using Scholar GPT. One thing that has changed dramatically over the past year is the ability of ChatGPT to provide a list of sources the contents of which genuinely exist and the links to which actually work. Here is what it provided:<\/p>\n Here are some notable academic sources that discuss the fictional religions Earthseed and God\u2019s Gardeners, either separately or together:<\/p>\n These sources can provide a comprehensive academic perspective on how Earthseed and God\u2019s Gardeners are represented in literature and their implications for understanding dystopia, religion, and environmental issues.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I took a look at several of them and am glad to have been introduced to them. One thing that jumped out at me was the cautious language about what these sources \u201cmight\u201d provide. Why not say whether they do or do not? My answer if this were ChatGPT in its classic form would have been that this AI does not in fact know anything at all, does not understand what it is being asked, and cannot confirm what is in any specific source even if the contents of that source were part of its training data and so influenced its response to me.<\/p>\n I pressed further, starting a new conversation\u2026and the way it was able to answer directly and meaningfully gave me chills. Yet pressing further, it also reveals things, limitations and characteristics, that I think it is crucial for users of ChatGPT to understand. My questions are in bold:<\/p>\n Unlike the basic form of ChatGPT, which is trained broadly to handle general conversational tasks, Scholar GPT likely underwent fine-tuning with a dataset more focused on academic texts and scientific literature. This specialized training would help it understand and generate content that\u2019s relevant to researchers, scholars, and professionals in scientific and technical fields. It\u2019s equipped to interact in a way that emphasizes factual accuracy, detailed information, and analytical insights, making it a more effective tool for academic research and related inquiries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n You say that Scholar GPT LIKELY underwent fine-tuning. Yet you are Scholar GPT. Does this cautious language indicate that you do not know how you were trained?<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Yes, that\u2019s correct\u2014I don\u2019t have direct knowledge of the specific details of my training processes or datasets. My responses, including the one about the training, are based on how AI models like me are typically developed and enhanced for specialized tasks. Models like Scholar GPT are generally fine-tuned on targeted datasets to better perform specific functions, but the exact nature of that data or the specifics of the training regime aren\u2019t information I can access or confirm. My main role is to assist with scholarly activities by leveraging the capabilities I\u2019m equipped with, rather than detailing my developmental background.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Based on the nature of your questions, you seem interested in understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI, particularly in the context of specialized models like Scholar GPT. This suggests that you might be involved in fields related to technology, education, or research. Your questions also indicate a focus on the ethical considerations and the inner workings of AI, which could mean you are involved in AI ethics, data science, or a related discipline where understanding AI\u2019s functioning and its implications are important.<\/p>\n Your interest in the specifics of AI training and applications hints at a professional or academic curiosity, possibly as an educator, researcher, or someone in a tech-focused role looking to explore or critique AI technologies.<\/p>\n Are you able to describe and evaluate how you, an an AI, have changed and improved over the past year?<\/strong><\/p>\n I can outline the general improvements and changes that have likely been made to AI models like me over the past year, based on common advancements in the field:<\/p>\n While I don\u2019t have the ability to introspect or access a changelog of specific updates to my model, these general trends reflect ongoing efforts in the AI community to advance the technology in meaningful ways.<\/p>\n Is it strange that you cannot evaluate changes that you yourself have undergone? What does that indicate about how you function, that it might be helpful for me as a user to understand?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s not strange, but it is a significant aspect of how AI models like me function that can be helpful for users to understand. Here\u2019s why I can\u2019t evaluate personal changes or improvements:<\/p>\n Understanding these aspects can help you as a user by setting the right expectations for our interactions. It means that while I can provide information based on a vast array of data and perform specific tasks with a high degree of accuracy, I do so without any personal continuity or growth. Each response is generated based on the input provided, without any influence from previous interactions unless explicitly designed to do so within a single session.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What should you take away from this interaction? Clearly we now have AI that is far beyond the capacity of much that we imagined in science fiction a few decades ago. It nonetheless still has limitations. It is processing text and producing text based on patterns and probability. I think that the time has come to tackle this directly in a book about how to teach the humanities in the era of ChatGPT. When AI can generate content of this sort, it absolutely\u00a0must<\/em> impact how we teach. If you\u2019re interested in that topic, let me know and I\u2019ll be eager to bounce ideas off of you as I work on the book.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n AI Chatbots on the Parable of the Sower<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n\u2013 Central to Earthseed is the concept that the only lasting truth is Change, which is personified as God.
\n\u2013 The ultimate goal of Earthseed followers is to prepare for and embrace the destiny of taking root among the stars, which is termed as \u201cThe Destiny.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 This religion combines elements of Christianity with environmental activism. The members venerate saints who were notable scientists and environmentalists.
\n\u2013 They preach a return to simpler, non-destructive living and predict a Waterless Flood (apocalyptic event) that will cleanse the Earth.<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 **Adaptability**: At the core of Earthseed is the belief that \u201cGod is Change.\u201d This philosophy promotes flexibility and resilience, crucial traits in a rapidly changing world marked by climate change, political instability, and technological advancement.
\n\u2013 **Proactive Vision**: Earthseed\u2019s goal of space colonization fosters a forward-thinking mindset, encouraging technological and scientific development. This could inspire solutions for resource scarcity and overpopulation.
\n\u2013 **Community and Self-Reliance**: Earthseed\u2019s emphasis on community support and education aligns with efforts to build self-sustaining communities that are less dependent on unstable global systems.<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 **Long-term Focus**: The focus on interstellar travel as a long-term solution might detract from addressing immediate earthly concerns, such as poverty and inequality.
\n\u2013 **Practicality**: The practical steps toward achieving its cosmic vision are not fully outlined, which might limit its applicability to immediate, terrestrial problems.<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 **Environmental Activism**: This religion\u2019s deep commitment to living in harmony with nature and its stance against the exploitation of resources align directly with current efforts to combat environmental degradation.
\n\u2013 **Lifestyle Changes**: The promotion of vegetarianism and sustainable living practices by God\u2019s Gardeners could have a direct positive impact on reducing carbon footprints and restoring ecological balances.
\n\u2013 **Community Education**: Their focus on education about nature and sustainability through community involvement could enhance public awareness and participation in environmental conservation.<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 **Rejection of Modern Technology**: While their stance emphasizes ecological harmony, the outright rejection of much modern technology could limit potential technological solutions to climate change and other environmental issues.
\n\u2013 **Apocalyptic Outlook**: The belief in an impending \u201cWaterless Flood\u201d might foster fatalism, potentially discouraging proactive measures in favor of merely preparing for disaster.<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 **Environmental Issues**: God\u2019s Gardeners might be more immediately effective because of their direct focus on ecological sustainability and practical, Earth-based living solutions.
\n\u2013 **Broader Societal Challenges**: Earthseed could potentially offer broader solutions to societal instability through its adaptable philosophy and focus on unity and forward-thinking goals.<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n