Artificial intelligence and plagues of Egypt
Artificial intelligence and plagues of Egypt
Looking at the plagues of Egypt from a child's perspective, they must seem colorful and full of details - an animal, dramatic changes in nature, graphic diseases, voices and lightning, etc... As an adult, the story happens too quickly for me - it does not pause between plagues and take the time to describe the process (except for the plague of firstborns). It is as if it is one continuous movement in which blow chases blow. Indeed, the purpose of the plagues is written and explained many times by God to Moses, but the richness of the plagues and their intensity invite us to look again at this purpose, not only for the Egyptians but for us - what do the plagues of Egypt teach us? A new experience this week enlightened me on the matter.
***
Following publications in the media about artificial intelligence software (chatGPT) that is capable of conducting intelligent conversation at a high level, I decided to try it. After being disappointed with the level of the software in Hebrew, I switched to English (the software overcomes spelling and syntax errors in English...). I tried to test the software in various fields. I corresponded on the topics of Judaism and Halacha, science and philosophy, effective psychological treatment for anxiety, joint composition of a science fiction story, ideas for activities for religious youth, and much more. Although the questions were general, the information received in seconds was significant and enriching. The software was not without errors and tended to generalize, but it knew how to correct itself and go down to fine resolutions. (There is still a feeling of something that is constantly only on the surface and does not really go deep, but with time it will surely improve).
For every question/request I asked if it was possible to receive... the immediate answer was "...sure; here is" - sure, here it is... within seconds I received an answer of whole pages of incredibly accurate and thought-provoking knowledge. At the end of many answers there is an expansion of how the information should be treated in a broader context, what you should be careful of when reading the answer and how the issue should be looked at in general. Sometimes the software criticized the way I asked the questions and it tried to blame me for my mistakes in the basic assumptions of the questions.
Already at this stage, it seems in my humble opinion, that in many ways, the idea succeeded. The software knows how to search the vast information it receives from humans and connect the things to continuous, responsible, balanced and beautiful answers. It demonstrates the power of humanity in its common wisdom to solve problems, give new ideas and enrich with a lot of information. It gives a feeling of power and knowledge that manifests itself in the blink of an eye.
As mentioned, the software was built according to the measurements of the programmers and my feeling of discomfort with the software is basically related to the way this whole package is wrapped - it is wrapped with a lot of pride. Pride that nothing is unsolvable, there is nothing for which there is no answer and if the alternatives are a sure and wrong answer or a hesitant answer the computer will give a sure and wrong answer - it is built to our standards and we (as a society) are sure that with the help of reason, sophistication and personal confidence - everything is solvable. We manage, we are successful, we can... maybe we are omnipotent... and if not now then soon.
***
Although the story of the Exodus happened more than 3000 years ago, it seems that the feelings in Egypt were similar. There is nothing that will stand before the power and intelligence of Pharaoh, his magicians and scientists. The plagues of Egypt convey a comprehensive lesson that shatters this human story - God willing, man will feel much less at ease, much less knowledgeable and much less "in charge" of everything that happens. All his defenses are breached - the water he is sure of as an economic and partial measure - raises frogs instead of a crop. The animals he managed to domesticate are dead (deer and hail) and in their place he receives harmful animals - a small locust through a medium locust to an invasive locust. The nature, that he thinks he can easily observe, changes completely and in the end - all the continuity of the magnificent Egyptian enterprise, built on the honorable next generation (Egyptian firstborns) disappears in an instant.
Man returns to his true dimensions and it turns out that he has power only when he remembers God, when he forgets, in one moment the great Egyptian culture will turn back into a desert.
The lesson that God requires of him is not only to develop and progress physically and mentally, but to develop morally at the same time, here lies our strength, not only in the ability to break through but in the ability to limit and consider, not to see only the the bigness but also the smallness, not only the power but the lust for power that should be curbed, not only the running forward but the examination of what this running might run over. The lesson is written, so many times in the story of the Exodus, everything has been in front of our eyes all the time for thousands of years And yet it is so relevant, so touching the basis with which we deal every day and which is our most difficult and important task no less than, and perhaps even more than, physical development.
The lesson of the plagues of Egypt should be taught today. It is of no less importance today than it was back then.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Matan Shnaiweiss
Comments