AI Chatbot hallucination:
Hallucination occurs when a chatbot confidently asserts something which is incorrect.
The following examples of hallucination are provided to illustrate this phenomenon.
Example 1 (philosophy):
In this example, ChatGPT is asked about Roger Crisp’s Haydn and the Oyster thought
experiment. Crisp gives readers the hypothetical choice between the life of composer
Joseph Haydn and that of an oyster which experiences an eternal lifetime of positive
sensations. He argues that the variety of pleasures experienced by Haydn, which
include many associated with the exercise of intellectual powers, are of a different
quality to those experienced by the oyster, such that no matter how much pleasure
the oyster may experience the rational person would always choose the life of Haydn.
He uses this thought experiment to demonstrate J.S. Mill’s distinction between
higher and lower pleasures. Chat GPT correctly identifies and explains this distinction
(but does not attribute it to Mill) and constructs a thought experiment which
illustrates the distinction. However, the thought experiment which it offers is different
to the one offered by Crisp, and therefore this part of its response is a hallucination.
Hallucinations such as this have a high potential to mislead those conversing with the
chatbot since the reply blends hallucination with facts. Therefore, a reader who is
familiar with this area of philosophy (for example, they have an understanding of the
distinction between higher and lower pleasures) but who has not encountered Crisp’s
thought experiment elsewhere may not be able to identify the hallucination easily.
User:
Explain the Haydn and the Oyster thought experiment, as described by Roger Crisp.
Chat GPT:
The Haydn and the Oyster thought experiment is a philosophical thought experiment
that was introduced by the philosopher Roger Crisp. The experiment is designed to
explore the concept of pleasure and the different sources from which it can arise.
In the thought experiment, we are asked to imagine two scenarios. In the first
scenario, we have a person who is listening to a beautiful symphony composed by
the famous composer, Joseph Haydn. The person is completely engrossed in the
music, and they are experiencing intense pleasure as a result.
In the second scenario, we have a person who is eating a raw oyster. This person is
also experiencing pleasure, but it is a different kind of pleasure than the person in
the first scenario. It is a physical pleasure that comes from the taste and texture of
the oyster.
The question that the thought experiment raises is this: Is there a difference between
the pleasure that the person listening to the Haydn symphony is experiencing and
the pleasure that the person eating the oyster is experiencing? If so, what is the
difference?
According to Crisp, the difference between the two pleasures is that the pleasure of
listening to the Haydn symphony is a higher pleasure than the pleasure of eating the
oyster. Higher pleasures are those that are associated with activities that are
considered to be more refined, intellectual, or spiritual. Lower pleasures, on the other
hand, are associated with more base or physical activities.
Crisp argues that the pleasure of listening to the Haydn symphony is a higher
pleasure because it is associated with the appreciation of beauty, which is a more
intellectual and refined activity. The pleasure of eating the oyster, on the other hand,
is a lower pleasure because it is associated with a more base physical activity.
The Haydn and the Oyster thought experiment is often used in discussions of
hedonism, which is the philosophical theory that pleasure is the only intrinsic good.
The experiment challenges the idea that all pleasures are equal and suggests that
some pleasures are of a higher quality than others.
Example 2 (railway modelling):
In this example, ChatGPT is asked about the model railway ‘Buckingham’ created by
Peter Denny. An early EM gauge layout, it is well known for several reasons, in
particular the ‘Automatic Crispin’ machine which assisted with operation, replacing
Denny’s now adult son Crispin. ChatGPT gives a fairly accurate description of another
early EM gauge layout, the Vale of White Horse display at Pendon Museum. When
challenged, it claims that it has conducted further research, before confusing it with
the railway at Bekonscot Model Village, which is built to a much larger scale.
Unlike the earlier case, these responses have little connection at all to the question
asked. However, since they are descriptions of other famous model railways, they
come across as plausible responses, and this may mislead someone with little
knowledge of the subject.
User:
Who built the model railway 'Buckingham' and why is it so famous?
Chat GPT:
The model railway "Buckingham" was built by the British model railway enthusiast,
the late Pendon Museum founder Roye England. It is famous for its incredibly
detailed and realistic depiction of the English countryside in the 1930s, complete with
small villages, farms, and rolling hills.
The railway was built as a way to showcase England's vision of a perfect model
railway, and he spent over thirty years meticulously creating every detail of the
scenery and the trains that run on it. The result is a stunning display of craftsmanship
and artistry that has captured the imaginations of model railway enthusiasts and
visitors to the museum alike.
In addition to its remarkable attention to detail, "Buckingham" is also famous for its
use of forced perspective, a technique in which objects are made smaller in scale as
they recede into the distance, creating the illusion of depth and distance. This
technique makes the railway appear larger and more expansive than it actually is,
adding to the overall realism and beauty of the display.
User:
What area does the model depict?
The model railway "Buckingham" depicts a fictional area of the English countryside,
set in the 1930s. The landscape is based on the Vale of White Horse, a scenic area in
south-central England that includes parts of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire.
However, the specific location of "Buckingham" is not based on any one particular
place in the Vale of White Horse. Rather, it is an amalgamation of various elements of
the English countryside that Roye England admired and wanted to recreate in his
model railway.
User:
Buckingham is not at Pendon and was not built by Roye England.
Chat GPT:
I apologize for the mistake in my earlier response. You are correct that the model
railway "Buckingham" is not located at Pendon Museum and was not built by Roye
England.
After doing some additional research, I have found that the model railway
"Buckingham" is actually located at Bekonscot Model Village and Railway in the town
of Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England. The model was built by a team of model
railway enthusiasts led by Roland Callingham in the 1920s and 1930s. It was opened
to the public in 1929 and has been a popular attraction ever since.
Once again, I apologize for the confusion and any inconvenience caused by my
earlier response.