In this continuing series, our own Jean C'est Magnifique Try Baptise, accomplished writer and scholar, puts his wisdom and wit to the challenge as he takes on a series of written challenges against ChatGPT who plays the character "Dr. Arthur Telligen". Who will win? The man or the machine? We'll ask for your votes and your input on social media after you read both sides!
And yet, this week JB is taking a well deserved vacation, and the one who is stepping forward to challenge the artificial intelligence is none other than Page Margaret August of Voraniss! Let's see how she fares!
View Staff:
Given the understanding that Aurora is the good-aligned goddess of light, write an original parable about the interaction between her and a member of her clergy that is tempted to do something evil.
Margaret:
There was a young Auroran woman named Tiffany. She shone like the dawn, brightening the lives of those around her. She was also fiercely protective, doing her best to help everyone she meets.
One day, in her travels, she came across a wizard. The wizard spoke to her.
“Greetings traveler.” He said.
“Hello there!” She flashes him a smile.
“You seem like a radiant fellow. One who shines brightly. I have a quest for you. If you will accept it” The wizard responds.
“What is your task?” She asks, a twinkle in her eyes
“There is a child. Her name is Annabell. She will grow up to commit many evil acts, bringing a reign of darkness in her wake. I need you to kill her to prevent this suffering”
Tiffany looks appalled.
“A child? How could I kill a child? Isn’t that wrong?”
The wizard retorts “But it would prevent much suffering and darkness. Is that not your mission?”
Tiffany is conflicted. On the one hand. It would be very easy to stop much potential suffering. On the other hand, she is but a child. Is it fair to punish her for future crimes? Uncertain, Tiffany turns to her faith.
She begins to pray. ‘Aurora. Goddess of Light. I seek your aid. I am being given an opportunity to rid the world of a great darkness. But at the cost of the life of a child. I need your guidance. What should I do?’
The clouds clear slightly, and the light seems to shine more brightly. A voice speaks in Tiffany’s ears.
“My Child. To snuff out the life of a child is wrong. Our youth are so full of hope and life. It is your responsibility as my faithful to nurture and teach them. To ensure that they do not grow into this potential evil, but as an ally in the fight against the darkness. To kill them is to dim your own light. Your instincts are strong. Stay true to yourself”
The light fades, and Tiffany confronts the wizard. Her faith is strong in her heart, she knows what she needs to do.
“Bring me to the child” She commands.
Editor's Note. To help give ChatGPT some important context, a couple of the pages regarding Auroran lore in the Library of Ivory were shown to the AI.
Dr. Arthur Telligen:
Once upon a time, in the land of Ivory, there was a young cleric named Selena. She was known throughout the land as a devoted follower of Aurora, the goddess of Light and Hope. Selena had dedicated her life to serving Aurora and upholding her tenets of faith, justice, and purity. She was respected by many for her piety and devotion.
One day, Selena received a summons from the High Priest of Aurora. He had a task for her that he believed only she was capable of completing. There was a powerful wizard who was using dark magic to subjugate innocent people and amass great wealth and power. He was a blight upon the world, and his wickedness threatened to undo all that Selena stood for. The High Priest wanted Selena to destroy the wizard and his works and restore peace and righteousness to the land.
At first, Selena was eager to do her goddess's bidding. She had always been taught that evil must be vanquished and that the forces of darkness could not be allowed to triumph. However, as she began to consider the task before her, she felt a strange sensation. She was tempted to take the power for herself. She imagined the wealth and the influence that the wizard possessed and felt a hunger for it. She began to believe that if she were to destroy the wizard, she could take what he had and use it for the good of her people.
Selena tried to dismiss these thoughts, knowing they were not in line with her goddess's teachings, but they persisted. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that this was the only way to truly serve her goddess and her people.
As she prepared to leave for the wizard's fortress, Selena was approached by a traveler who asked if he could accompany her. He was a mysterious figure, cloaked in shadows, and Selena was hesitant to allow him to join her. But he was insistent, and in the end, she relented.
As they traveled together, Selena found herself sharing her thoughts and doubts with the stranger. He listened to her carefully, and when she finished speaking, he said, "You are tempted by the very thing you seek to destroy. You believe that you can use the power of the wizard for good, but in doing so, you risk becoming the very thing you hate. The path of righteousness is not an easy one, but it is the only path that leads to true peace and justice."
Selena was taken aback by the stranger's words. They spoke to a truth that she had known deep down but had been too afraid to confront. She realized that her desire for power had clouded her judgment, and she had lost sight of her goddess's teachings.
When they arrived at the wizard's fortress, Selena confronted him in battle. It was a fierce fight, and the wizard used all of his dark powers against her. But Selena remained true to her goddess's teachings, and in the end, she emerged victorious.
Just then the stranger revealed her true self. Selena realized that she walked along aside Aurora the whole time as she was guided by her goddess down the correct path. As she knelt before her goddess, Selena felt a sense of humility and gratitude wash over her. She knew that she had been given a great task, and she had overcome her own temptations to do what was right. She realized that the path of righteousness was not always an easy one, but it was the only path that led to true peace and justice.
