Tuesday, February 21, 2023

A Formal Challenge - Round One


In this new 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 will win? The man or the machine? We'll ask for your votes and your input on social media after you read both sides!

View Staff: 

Writing from the perspective of a scholar in a medieval fantasy world construct an argument that pixies are an invasive species and therefore should be removed from the environment.


ChatGPT (with the argument in favor of the thesis):

As a scholar, I argue that pixies are an invasive species that should be removed from the environment.

Firstly, pixies have a significant impact on the local ecosystem. Being creatures of the fae, they often possess magical abilities that can disrupt the balance of nature. Pixies have been known to use their powers to manipulate plants and animals, causing them to grow in unnatural ways or behave erratically. This can lead to a chain reaction of negative effects on the environment, including reduced biodiversity, soil erosion, and water pollution. In some cases, these effects can even lead to the extinction of native species.

Secondly, pixies are known to be mischievous and often cause trouble for human settlements. They have been known to steal food, damage crops, and disrupt the daily lives of villagers. Additionally, their childlike intelligence and proclivities can lead them to engage in dangerous behaviors such as playing pranks on humans or other creatures, which can result in injury or even death. This can cause significant harm to both the human population and the environment.

Finally, as creatures from the mythical lands of fae, pixies are not native to the area and were likely introduced through magical means. Their presence in the environment is therefore not natural and disrupts the local ecosystem. Invasive species are known to have significant negative impacts on ecosystems, and as such, it is essential to remove them to protect the environment and native species.

In conclusion, the presence of pixies in the environment poses a significant threat to both the ecosystem and human settlements. As an invasive species, they disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem and cause harm to both the human population and native species. It is therefore necessary to remove them from the environment to preserve the natural balance and ensure the safety of all involved.


JB (with the augment against the thesis):

Let us speak plainly, I could make an argument about ethics here. I could say that Pixies, being intelligent, have the right to their own determination, and thus we can not kick them out. I can argue the Pixies are not causing serious harm and thus should be permitted. I can argue that Humanity is the real invasive species and give a smug chuckle as I say it. However I do not think any of those points hit the fundamental problem of the debate. The question we are presenting is, at its crux, that sacrifices must be made. My opponent believes that Pixies are a threat, a menace that must be dealt with. They may claim that, while the Pixies have no real malice towards us, not the way we are being malicious by moving them, that sacrifices must be made for the balance of the environment.

The position I choose to hold therefore is simply that this moral quandary is stupid. Let us consider first, the arrogance that WE must be the ones to determine which sacrifices must be made, especially when those sacrifices are done at the expense of others. The pixies can make their own choices, their own sacrifices, it's banal for us to determine for their sake what is an acceptable loss. But more than that, more than the moral issues, how defeatist is this discussion?

I have lived the same as you all. I have seen time travel, realms jumping, teleportation, shifting one reality into another. Are we REALLY going to say THIS is the line? Of all the demons, gods, demon gods, universe destroyers, reality definers, magic space squids, a MIGRANT ISSUE is the thing we can't hand wave? That's quitter talk at LEAST, we can figure this out. Assemble 4 seers, get the 3 Zoologist Staffs, yell Mage at a wall, whatever it takes. You can uninvasive them, reality is an option. You don't need a solution to pixies, not when we have the solution to ANYTHING else. Hasn't Chimeron handled fae floating into their land for 30 years? Surely if they have survived it so can we.


Editors note: For those unfamiliar, ChatGPT is an AI language model that generates responses to any input through an online interface. All text attributed to ChatGPT in this series is the unedited output of that AI, all text attributed to View Staff is the unedited input given to ChatGPT. Read more about ChatCPT here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT