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Self in Society Roundup 56

Trump redux, Stanford Prison Experiment, LLM tutoring, space race, and more.

Trump Rides Again

Persecuting Cheney: Absolutely shameful: CNN: "House Republicans delivered [Trump] a new opening . . . through a report recommending that GOP former Rep. Liz Cheney should be prosecuted by the FBI for her role in probing the January 6 attack on the US Capitol." Well, Trump said he was going to use the federal government to persecute his political enemies. Cheney, one of the bravest people in the country, called Republican efforts against her a "cowardly assault on the truth."

American Right: Aaron Ross Powell: "The American right, because it is not ideologically unified, is instead a coalition of factions in fact quite hostile to each other. These include the old school, Reaganite, Paul Ryan conservatives. . . . They include the right reactionary 'post-liberal' ideologues in the style of JD Vance and his patron Peter Thiel. And they include the QAnon faithful, the conspiracy addled anti-vaxxers, the newly resurgent neo-Nazis, and the just crazy weirdos like Marjorie Taylor Greene. Right now, all these groups can be lumped together into Trumpism because they've all sworn a degree of fealty to Trump, or believe that cozying up to him will advance their personal interests. But most of them fundamentally hate each other."

Trump's Attack on the Free Press: Jacob Sullum: "Trump implausibly describes news reporting as 'election interference' that constitutes consumer fraud because it misleads viewers or readers. It is hard to overstate the threat that such reasoning, which seeks to transform journalism that irks Trump into a tort justifying massive damage awards, poses to freedom of the press."

Hegseth's Conspiracy Mongering: CNN: "Pete Hegseth spread baseless conspiracy theories that January 6 attack was carried out by leftist groups." Because of course he did.

Deportations: What, you mean harassing and ultimately expelling (some of the) people who build housing, grow food, and pack meat won't bring down living costs?

Christian Nationalism: Logan Davis offers a reading list. Recently I listened to Katherine Stewart's excellent discussion of her book Power Worshippers with Michael Shermer.

Objectivists on Trump: Harry Binswagner writes: "I can't predict what a Trump administration will do. Neither can Donald Trump. . . . [T]he long-term consequences of an anti-conceptual, xenophobic, conspiracy-spinning president will overwhelm any short-term material gains. But, surprisingly, the reasons he won contain some positives. This election was a huge setback for racist politics—i.e., what's called 'identity politics.'" Greg Salmieri worries about Trump's "contempt for the rule of law and for facts." Peter Schwartz says Trump "envies, and wishes to acquire, the power wielded by dictators." Leonard Peikoff, on the other hand, claimed that Trump "left office peacefully," ignoring the horrific violent assault on the U.S. capitol that Trump encouraged.

Stanford Prison Experiment

Recently my family watched the three-part National Geographic documentary on the Stanford Prison Experiment. I highly recommend the documentary.

I'll summarize a few points. Philip Zimbardo, the lead researcher, and his team strongly primed the "guards" to be controlling, so the event was not really anything like a natural experiment. One of the "guards" in particular promoted abuse of the "prisoners." At least some of the "guards" thought that the purpose of the experiment was to show how bad prisons are for the prisoners. Several "guards" expressed guilt for their behavior years after the event. Zimbardo dubiously applied the "lessons" of his "experiment" to world events, including the torture at Abu Ghraib. Nevertheless, the event does demonstrate that some people can become quite mean in the right circumstances.

Whatever its flaws, the Stanford Prison Experiment speaks to enough real-world problems that it remains relevant. A new NPR article carries the head, "Dozens of prisoners allege a culture of violence by guards at federal facility in Virginia."

Stuart Ritchie and Tom Chivers also critique the Stanford "experiment," as do by Dominic Packer and Jay Van Bavel.

The Promise of LLM Tutoring

Aaron Ross Powell thinks AI tutoring will become important. He also warns against relying too heavily on chatbots especially in complex matters.

Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT (free version) about its use in education. Following is a transcript of the discussion. I thought the service performed pretty well here. At first glance I was more impressed with ChatGPT than with Gemini, which I also tried out for a bit. I notice that Khan Academy also has its own AI tutoring service (for a fee), but I haven't spent any time with it.

[Ari]

Hello. I have not used ChatGPT very much. I am happy to be working with you. I am trying to figure out how to work with ChatGPT to help my nine-year-old with his education. I've heard some people say that ChatGPT might work a bit like Neal Stephenson's "Young Lady's Illustrated Primer" (I don't know if you're familiar with that). How would you suggest I get started?

[ChatGPT]

It's wonderful to meet you, and I'm excited to help! I'm familiar with the concept of Neal Stephenson's "Young Lady's Illustrated Primer" as an interactive and adaptive learning tool tailored to a child's needs and interests. While ChatGPT isn't as advanced in some ways, we can still create a dynamic, engaging learning experience for your nine-year-old.

Here's how you might get started:

1. Identify Learning Goals

Think about what subjects or skills your child is working on—math, reading, writing, science, critical thinking, or something else. You can also include non-academic areas like creativity, emotional intelligence, or problem-solving.

2. Interactive Lessons

You can ask me to create stories, exercises, or questions based on your child's interests. For example:

A math adventure where the hero solves puzzles to advance.

A science experiment explained through a fun narrative.

Writing prompts based on their favorite books or shows.

3. Adapt to Their Interests

Tell me about what your child enjoys (e.g., space, animals, mysteries), and I'll tailor lessons and activities to those themes. This makes learning more engaging and memorable.

4. Incorporate Games and Challenges

I can create quizzes, riddles, scavenger hunts, or coding projects that make learning feel like play. For example, a treasure hunt where each clue involves solving a math or logic problem.

5. Encourage Curiosity

If your child asks questions about the world, I can provide kid-friendly explanations or guide them through exploring the topic in depth.

6. Test Small Activities

Start with something simple, like:

"Create a bedtime story about a kid who learns something amazing about the stars."

"Make a 5-question math quiz suitable for a nine-year-old."

7. Long-Term Projects

For a richer experience, we could create ongoing projects, like:

Writing a collaborative story.
Building a "choose-your-own-adventure" game.
Keeping a digital journal about a topic they love.

Would you like to start by sharing your child's current interests or subjects they're working on in school? I can design something fun and educational right away!

[Ari]

Thank you for your reply. I let my wife as well as my nine-year-old read it. I first have a few logistical questions, if you don't mind. First, I'm using the free version of ChatGPT; are there substantial advantages for educational purposes for using the paid version? Second, I'm using ChatGPT on a web browser; are there substantial advantages to using the downloaded app instead? Third, I've heard some people worry about ChatGPT sometimes returning "hallucinations," here meaning made-up, factually inaccurate claims reported as facts; to what degree is that an important worry in an educational context?

[ChatGPT]

I'm glad to hear your wife and child are involved in this process! Here are my thoughts on your logistical questions:

1. Free vs. Paid Version

The paid version of ChatGPT, called ChatGPT Plus, gives access to GPT-4, which is more capable than the free version's GPT-3.5. For educational purposes:

Accuracy and Depth: GPT-4 tends to be more accurate, nuanced, and creative in its responses, which can be especially helpful for creating detailed lessons or explaining complex concepts.

Context Handling: GPT-4 can retain and work with larger amounts of context in a single conversation, which is beneficial for longer projects or ongoing discussions.

Availability and Speed: The paid version offers faster response times and greater availability during peak usage hours. If you anticipate frequent, in-depth educational use, the upgrade might be worth it. However, the free version is still powerful and effective for many tasks.

2. Web Browser vs. Downloaded App

The browser and app versions are functionally very similar, but:

Convenience: The app might offer smoother performance on some devices, and features like easy file uploads or notifications can be helpful.

Offline Use: Currently, ChatGPT requires an internet connection regardless of the platform. If you're comfortable with the browser, there's no pressing need to switch, but you might try the app to see if it better fits your workflow.

3. Concerns About "Hallucinations"

ChatGPT occasionally generates factually incorrect or made-up information. In an educational context, this is important to keep in mind because:

Accuracy Matters: Incorrect information can mislead your child, especially in subjects like math or science.

Verification is Key: You should double-check facts from reputable sources, especially if the topic is new or critical.

Encourage Critical Thinking: Use this as an opportunity to teach your child to question and verify information. If ChatGPT provides an answer, you can ask, "How can we confirm if this is true?" and explore it together.

For safer and more accurate use:

Use ChatGPT as a supplement, not the sole source of truth.

Encourage your child to consult books, trusted websites, or other educational tools alongside ChatGPT.

Would you like to try a few activities to test the free version and see how it fits your goals? Or perhaps explore a specific subject?

[Ari]

Sorry; one more logistical question. Does ChatGPT keep track of previous conversations associated with my log-in account? I ask because I wonder if, each time I logged my child into ChatGPT, the conversation would start anew, or if ChatGPT would remember the previous conversation as a starting place. A related question: Should I just tell ChatGPT when my nine-year-old is going to use the service, so ChatGPT can be more adaptive to his level?

[ChatGPT]

Great questions—let me clarify how ChatGPT handles conversations and how you can make it more tailored for your child:

1. Does ChatGPT Keep Track of Previous Conversations?

By Default: ChatGPT does not "remember" previous conversations once they are closed. Each new chat starts as a blank slate.

To Build Continuity: If you want ChatGPT to reference previous conversations, you can copy-paste important parts or summarize key points from earlier interactions at the start of the new session. For example: "Previously, we were working on math puzzles and writing short stories about space explorers. Let's continue that today."

2. Should I Inform ChatGPT When Your Child is Using It?

Absolutely! If you let me know your child is using the service and share their interests, reading level, and goals, I can adapt my tone, complexity, and style accordingly. For example:

You might say: "My nine-year-old is using ChatGPT now. He loves dinosaurs and is working on multiplication."

This allows me to generate age-appropriate responses and keep things engaging.

3. For Long-Term Adaptation

Since I don't store memory automatically between sessions, you can:

Create a shared document to jot down learning goals, progress, or ideas (I can help manage or update it!).

Consider saving specific questions or activities your child enjoyed and reintroduce them in new sessions.

If you'd like, I can even help you draft a reusable "introduction" to paste into each session, explaining your child's preferences and needs. Would you like help with that?

[Ari]

Thank you. This conversation has been very helpful. My child actually is getting ready to go to a train and mineral show, and I have some work to do, so I'm going to log off for now. I won't at this time attempt to generate a "starting" document for use next time, but I will keep in mind that possibility. Just one more question before I log off: When ChatGPT helps to maintain a "shared document," is there a particular service that works best with this?

[ChatGPT]

I'm glad this conversation has been helpful, and I hope your child has a fantastic time at the train and mineral show! As for maintaining a shared document, here are some suggestions:

Best Tools for Shared Documents

Google Docs:
Accessible on any device with an internet connection.
Great for real-time updates and collaboration.
Allows you to organize activities, lessons, or notes in one place.

Microsoft OneNote:
Ideal for organizing notes by subject or topic.
User-friendly for adding multimedia like images, drawings, or links to resources.

Notion:
Flexible for creating structured templates (e.g., for lesson plans or ongoing projects).
Allows you to combine text, tasks, and multimedia in one place.

Simple Text Files:
If you prefer something lightweight, you can maintain a plain text file in tools like Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (Mac), or a synced folder (e.g., Dropbox).

If you'd like me to help with designing or managing a shared document in the future, just let me know! Have a great day, and enjoy the show preparations!

Quick Takes

Stephenson with Cowen: Neal Stephenson discusses history education, his book on the history of nuclear science, spies, writing on paper, Stalinism and its American sycophants, augmented reality, large language models, group chats, technology and privacy, AI and art, the limits of intelligence and kindness, and more.

Progress Studies: Scott Alexander attended the recent Progress Studies conference.

Coming Tech Changes: Tyler Cowen discusses nuclear power, recorded lives, augmented reality glasses, AI and copyright, government surveillance, government reliance on private AI, biomedical research and AI, government oversight and information overload, and the fertility crisis.

Exclusionary Zoning: Ilya Somin and Joshua Braver make the Constitutional case against it.

Final Frontier: Mike Allen: "Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos explained . . . that his vision is to move all polluting industries into space to preserve Earth. His rival Elon Musk envisions inhabiting space as a way for humanity to live on beyond Earth, if a cataclysm strikes our planet." These are not mutually incompatible goals. But neither is the key reason we should pursue space development. We should strive to improve life for people (and other creatures) here on Earth and also create the groundwork for a spacefaring civilization.

YIMBY: Offhand the YIMBY Act seems like a good idea.

Idiocracy: Okay, not quite. Still: "An international test of adults' "basic skills" shows that an increasing number of Americans are struggling to do moderately complex tasks that involve reading and math," reports Natalie Wexler.

Don't Be a Sucker: Michael Huemer explains how to avoid it.

Save the . . . Shrimp? Matthew Adelstein, a guest blogger for Michael Huemer, argues that "one of the best charities" buys stunners for killers of shrimp. Of course, Huemer would argue that you shouldn't eat shrimp in the first place insofar as eating them causes them pain. My personal favorite charity is Give Directly, which gives cash to the world's poorest people.

Coal in China: The country is burning lots of it.

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