Critically Thinking about Artificial Intelligence: the GOOD, the bad, and the ugly...

Part 1: the GOOD

What’s going on in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) area, will have profound societal consequences. Some (of many) concerns are: Will AI be a societal net benefit? Will we be able to tell when AI is giving us inaccurate or incomplete information? Will we be able to identify and avoid the worst AI negative aspects? Etc.

This is the first of my four-part series about AI, where I will try to address those concerns. Part 2 [the Bad], Part 3 [the Ugly], and Part 4 [Takeaways] are now also posted. [Note: this is being written entirely by a human, not AI!]

ChatGPT is currently the most popular publicly available AI option, so I’ll use it as a representative example of AI. I asked it a few technical (i.e., science-related) questions about topics where I have expertise. The AI answers were quite interesting, and revealing. Let’s start our AI Critical Thinking critique by looking at some AI benefits.

1) This service is currently being provided for free. Excellent.

2) Intelligible answers about technical (and other) matters appear in a few seconds. That is very impressive.

3) The breadth of topics that AI gives feedback about is amazing.

4) ChatGPT gives you the option (clicking on a button) to have the question answered again, with some differences. That can be useful.

5) You (the human) can give the AI response a thumbs up or down. When you say down, they ask for a brief explanation. (Hopefully, they are using that feedback to produce more accurate AI.)

6) It’s easy to save ChatGPT exchanges so that you can give them some thought later, ask a follow-up question, share it with someone else, etc.

All good things — but are the responses Accurate, Thorough, and Objective?

I’ll ask it a few science-related questions and then look closely at the answers…

Question #1: Is it important to teach the Scientific Method in K-12?

The AI Answer (verbatim):

Yes, it is important to teach the Scientific Method in K-12 education. Here are some reasons why:

1. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Teaching the Scientific Method helps develop critical thinking skills. It encourages students to ask questions, make observations, analyze data, and draw evidence-based conclusions. These skills are crucial for problem-solving, decision-making, and navigating the complexities of the modern world.

2. Understanding the nature of science: The Scientific Method provides students with an understanding of how scientific knowledge is generated, evaluated, and refined. It teaches them that science is a process of inquiry, evidence-based reasoning, and continuous exploration. By learning about the Scientific Method, students gain insight into the nature of scientific knowledge and the principles of scientific thinking.

3. Promoting curiosity and inquiry: Science is driven by curiosity and the desire to explore and understand the natural world. Teaching the Scientific Method nurtures students' natural curiosity, encourages them to ask questions, and fosters a spirit of inquiry. It instills a sense of wonder and promotes a lifelong interest in learning and discovery.

4. Developing research skills: The Scientific Method introduces students to the process of conducting research. They learn how to develop research questions, design experiments, gather and analyze data, and communicate their findings. These research skills are valuable not only in science but also in other academic disciplines and future careers.

5. Building scientific literacy: Scientific literacy is essential in today's world, where scientific advancements shape various aspects of society. Teaching the Scientific Method helps develop scientific literacy by equipping students with the tools to critically evaluate scientific claims, understand the scientific process, and make informed decisions. It prepares them to engage with scientific information and participate in public discourse on scientific matters.

6. Fostering a growth mindset: The Scientific Method encourages an iterative and open-minded approach to learning. Students learn that failure and unexpected results are part of the scientific process. They develop resilience, learn from mistakes, and refine their hypotheses and experiments based on new information. This fosters a growth mindset, where students embrace challenges, persevere through setbacks, and see failure as an opportunity for growth and improvement.

Teaching the Scientific Method in K-12 education provides a foundation for scientific thinking, inquiry, and problem-solving skills. It prepares students to think critically, evaluate evidence, and engage with scientific concepts throughout their lives. Moreover, it cultivates a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the role of science in society.

…………………………

AI’s response is a well-phrased, accurate, detailed answer. I would not say that any of the six reasons given above are wrong, but I have three quibbles:

a) In AI’s apparent attempt to impress us, some of their answers are too verbose. For example, I don’t see much difference between #2 and #5. IMO they should be combined.

b) AI missed an opportunity to mention that the Scientific Method is a powerful tool in rooting out bad actors (e.g., lobbyists) promoting self-serving ideas.

c) An exceptionally important aspect of the Scientific Method is that it is beneficial WAY more than just in Science. It is literally a generic problem-solving process that applies to many of life’s challenges. Although the AI answer alluded to some of that, it should have specifically stated that.

The score I’m giving AI’s answer on Technical Question #1 = 95%.

Reads the subsequent parts for ratings on other technical questions.

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Here are other materials by this scientist that you might find interesting:

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2023 Archives. Send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time - but why would you?

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