5 June 2023 | Draft
An extensive experiment with ChatGPT focused previously on the possibility of enhancing engagement with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) articulated by the United Nations (Coherence of Sustainable Development Goals through Artificial Intelligence, 2023). This included the first iteration of an experimental articulation of them by ChatGPT in sonnet form -- as "strategic sonnets" -- to focus attention on the quality of sustainable attraction and inspiration that that poetic form has offered over centuries. This followed from a concern with the role of poetry in governance (Poetry-making and Policy-making: arranging a marriage between Beauty and the Beast, 1993; Poetic Engagement with Afghanistan, Caucasus and Iran: an unexplored strategic opportunity? 2009). It can indeed be asked why the SDGs have not been experimentally articulated in song to enhance their memorabilithy and uptake (A Singable Earth Charter, EU Constitution or Global Ethic? 2006)
That interaction concluded from an aesthetic psychosocial perspective with the scoping out by ChatGPT of a possible epic poem -- given the role that such poems have played, as illustrated by the Mahabarata, the Kalevala or the Epic of Gilgamesh. The interaction also included a presentation of each SDG in haiku format by ChatGPT, given the recognized value of that format for some some key world leaders. There is a delightful irony to the fact that haiku is formulated by 17 "phonetic units" suggesting that the 17 SDGs might be explored together as 17 "memetic units" (Ensuring Strategic Resilience through Haiku Patterns, 2006).
The interaction also focused on the set of 16 logical connectives and on how opposing arguments in relation to the SDGs might be reframed from that perspective (Oppositional Logic as Comprehensible Key to Sustainable Democracy, 2018). Given the conventional reduction of that set to 14 connectives to facilitate representation of their memorable relationship in three dimensionlal mappings, ChatGPT demonstrated a degree of creativity in exploring the relationship between the logical connectives and the aesthetic appeal of the standard 14-fold format of sonnets (Variety of Rhyming Patterns in Standard 14-line Sonnets, 2021). ChatGPT proved to be unaware of the extent to which 14-fold patterns were deemed significant to organizational management and policy articulation, as is evident from the web resources on the matter (Pattern of 14-foldness as an Implicit Organizing Principle for Governance? 2021).
In the light of these discussion threads, the interaction focused finally on the insight they might offer into dialogue of a higher quality and how that might be enabled in a period of global divisiveness and an impoverishment of dialogue at the global level (Use of AI to enhance discourse analysis and mapping in the light of logical connectives, 2023). The need for dialogue of a higher order is only too evident with respect to issues such as climate change, inequality, migration, resources, and the like -- all of which feature in the SDGs. Especially evident at the time of writing is the interplay between the "Yes" and "No" campaigns regarding a First Nation Voice to Parliament in Australia. How is the the quality of dialogue assessed in relation to the degree of controversy associated with such issues? In what form might discourse of a higher order be expressed? Should people be complacent about the prevailing forms of dialogue -- seemingly not "fit for purpose"?
The following interaction with ChatGPT is a direct continuation of the earlier exchange. Some potential implications have been previously explored (Forthcoming Major Revolution in Global Dialogue, 2013). Possibilities have however been envisaged otherwise (Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations, UN Resolution A/56/6, 2001; SDG Dialogues Series, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change; The Global Reset Dialogue, ODI).
The earlier exchange noted a number of statements by authorities warning of the dangers of AI for the future of humanity. Most recently this took the form of a dramatic warning towards "mitigation extinction risks" (Kenny Stancil, The One-Sentence Warning on Artificial Intelligence, Consortium News, 2 June 2023). A contrasting view, in the face of the possible collapse of civilization from other causes, is the danger of failing to take advantage of a tool which would enable greater ability of humanity to integrate and focus the knowledge rendered inaccessible by the degree of fragmentation of society and disciplines (Brandeis Marshall, The Mediocrity of the AI Pause Open Letter, Medium, 25 April 2023). Currently planned reactions against AI may then be compared to red flag traffic legislation in response to the automobile a century ago -- otherwise to be caricatured as "throwing the baby out with the bathwater".
Curiously, with the response to AI as an exemplar of the interplay between "Yes" and "No" campaigns on a controversial issue, there is little concern with the quality of the dialogue as explored here in the light of logical connectives. Although obscure to most, ironically these are fundamental to the successful operation of ChatGPT, thereby appropriately framing its consideration as an issue of self-reference -- as with their emotional analogues.
The format adopted in what follows presents a question addressed to ChatGPT (version 3.5) -- as indicated in the shaded header of the left or right portion of the table. The response of ChatGPT is given beneath in each case (occasionally with a preface or an epilogue it provides). Some "meta-commentary" on the exchange from this writer may be given between the table elements as formulator of the questions. The first few tables are reproduced for convenience from the concluding stages of the interaction previously reported (Use of AI to enhance discourse analysis and mapping in the light of logical connectives, 2023). This offers a means of providing a sense of continuity to the further development of the exchange which follows.
Readers could well choose to skip between tables and questions, sampling some responses only, since they are presented primarily as illustrative examples.
Given a degree of recogntion of the fruitful interweaving of the discussion threads indicated above, further possibilities were explored with ChatGPT with respect to dialogue of a higher order (below left). However it remains highly questionable whether interaction of such higher quality is characteristic of global negotiations and debate -- as asserted by ChatGPT (below right). Such an assertion could be understood as an example of the "hallucination" of which ChatGPT has been accused (Craig S. Smith, Hallucinations Could Blunt ChatGPT’s Success, IEEE Spectrum, 13 March 2023; Hussam Alkaissi, et al, Artificial Hallucinations in ChatGPT: Implications in Scientific Writing, Cureus, 15, 2023, 2).
In chess some patterns of moves are understood as demonstrating a high order of expertise and are named accordingly. Could such patterns with logical connectives be recognized in debate and negotiation? | It is unclear what dialogue skills are deployed in vital global strategic negotiations. Could you comment on the ineffectual nature of debate that fails to make use of the full array of logical connectives? |
In the realm of debate and negotiation, while there may not be explicit "named patterns" like in chess, certain combinations of logical connectives can indeed demonstrate a high order of expertise. Skilled debaters and negotiators often develop recognizable patterns or strategies based on the effective use of these connectives. Here are a few examples:
While these patterns may not have standardized names like chess moves, they represent strategic approaches that experienced debaters and negotiators employ to achieve favorable outcomes. Recognizing and utilizing these patterns requires a deep understanding of logical principles, critical thinking, and the ability to adapt to the dynamics of the debate or negotiation. It's worth noting that the effectiveness of these patterns also depends on the specific context, the individuals involved, and the specific arguments or positions being debated or negotiated. Skilled practitioners continuously refine and adapt their strategies based on the circumstances to maximize their chances of success. |
When vital global strategic negotiations take place, effective dialogue skills play a critical role in achieving successful outcomes. While debate can be a valuable tool in certain contexts, it may fall short in the complex and nuanced arena of global strategic negotiations when the full array of logical connectives is not utilized. Here are a few reasons why an incomplete or ineffectual use of logical connectives in debate can hinder negotiation processes:
In order to overcome these challenges, skilled negotiators in global strategic contexts make use of the full array of logical connectives to foster collaboration, address complexities, seek innovative solutions, respect underlying interests and values, and navigate uncertainty. By deploying a wide range of logical connectives, negotiators can construct persuasive arguments, challenge assumptions, identify inconsistencies, and create a more comprehensive and nuanced dialogue that enhances the chances of reaching mutually beneficial agreements. It's important to note that while logical connectives are valuable tools, negotiation is a complex and multifaceted process that involves emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity, active listening, empathy, and other interpersonal skills. The effective deployment of logical connectives should be complemented by a holistic approach to negotiation that takes into account the diverse dynamics at play. |
With clearly remarkable ability to engage with the suggested analogy, it is therefore intriguing to explore how ChatGPT might offer even greater insight into dialogue of a higher order. The responses on the left (below) are too general, whereas those on the right suggest surprising parallels offering further possibilities
Chess experts attach great value to particular patterns and combinations of moves as especially interesting. Given the parallel, would you comment on what might make patterns of dialogue similarly engaging rather than of trivial significance | To the extent that the 16 logical connectives are comparable with chess pieces with their characteristic moves, could you suggest how the moves in dialogue of different logical connectives might be distinguished -- contrasting pawns with castles, knights, bishops, queen and king. |
Patterns of dialogue can indeed be engaging and significant when they go beyond trivial exchanges and exhibit certain qualities. Here are some aspects that can make patterns of dialogue engaging and meaningful:
By incorporating these elements, dialogue patterns can transcend trivial exchanges and become engaging, thought-provoking, and significant. They can generate new insights, facilitate mutual learning, and contribute to the collective understanding of complex topics. Just as chess experts value certain combinations of moves for their strategic brilliance, engaging dialogue patterns can capture attention, inspire intellectual curiosity, and foster meaningful conversations. |
Certainly! Drawing an analogy between logical connectives and chess pieces, we can explore how the "moves" of different connectives in dialogue might be distinguished:
It's worth noting that this analogy between logical connectives and chess pieces is primarily conceptual, and the nature of dialogue is more fluid and dynamic than the strict movements of chess pieces. In dialogue, participants have the flexibility to employ multiple connectives in various ways to construct persuasive arguments, challenge positions, and explore different perspectives. The moves in dialogue are not restricted to the characteristics of a single chess piece but are influenced by the context, objectives, and the specific arguments being discussed. Skilled participants in dialogue will strategically utilize a combination of connectives to navigate the complexities of the conversation and achieve their communication goals. |
Although greater insight could not immediately be derived from ChatGPT on what would make for dialogue of a much higher order, the relevance to sustainability can be succesfully highlighted (below left) by comparison with infinite games and discussed separately (Quest for sustainability as an infinite game? 2021; (Sustainable Dialogue as a Necessary Template for Sustainable Global Community, 1995). ChatGPT offered useful insights in that respect, but with some confusion regarding SDG17 (below right).
Understood as a game, a bias in favour of winning is normally fundamental to both chess and dialogue. To the extent that a comparison is also possible with SDGs as "pieces", could you comment on the contrast between finite games and infinite games -- given that sustainable dialogue would be appropriately associated with the latter? | With the framing of goals and their strong association with winning, how might engagement with the set of SDGs be transformed into an infinite game -- in which there is a need to distinguish the characteristic dynamics of the pieces, as with chess? |
Certainly! The concept of finite games and infinite games, as proposed by James Carse in his book "Finite and Infinite Games", provides an interesting perspective when considering the contrast between chess, dialogue, and their association with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finite games are characterized by defined rules, specific objectives, and a clear notion of winning and losing. Chess is a classic example of a finite game. The goal is to strategically outmaneuver the opponent, capture the king, and achieve victory within a confined set of rules. In finite games, the focus is on short-term success and achieving a predetermined outcome. On the other hand, infinite games are characterized by an ongoing, evolving nature. The primary objective in an infinite game is to continue playing, to keep the game going, and to perpetuate the engagement. Infinite games have no fixed endpoint or winners or losers. Instead, the goal is to sustain the game itself and promote continued participation. When considering dialogue and its association with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an infinite game perspective is particularly relevant. The SDGs encompass a long-term vision for global sustainable development, with the aim of addressing complex and interconnected challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and more. Achieving the SDGs requires ongoing dialogue, collaboration, and collective efforts that go beyond winning or reaching a finite endpoint. Sustainable dialogue aligns with the principles of an infinite game. It focuses on fostering long-term engagement, building relationships, and seeking collaborative solutions that can adapt and evolve over time. Sustainable dialogue recognizes the interconnectedness of issues, promotes inclusivity, and encourages continuous learning and improvement. Infinite games emphasize cooperation, shared goals, and the understanding that the game is not about defeating opponents but about creating a better future together. While finite games like chess have their value in specific contexts, sustainable dialogue requires an infinite game mindset, where the emphasis is on collective progress, systemic change, and a commitment to ongoing dialogue and cooperation. By adopting an infinite game perspective in sustainable dialogue, participants can move away from rigid win-lose mentalities and focus on finding sustainable solutions, building trust, and nurturing meaningful relationships. It encourages a long-term view, acknowledges the complex and evolving nature of the challenges at hand, and promotes collaboration for the benefit of all stakeholders involved. |
Transforming engagement with the set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into an infinite game involves shifting the focus from winning or achieving specific goals within a set timeframe to fostering continuous progress and collective action. To distinguish the characteristic dynamics of the pieces, we can draw parallels between the SDGs and chess pieces in the context of an infinite game:
It's important to note that while this analogy highlights the distinct dynamics of the SDGs, an infinite game approach to the SDGs goes beyond the characteristics of individual pieces. It emphasizes continuous engagement, adaptive strategies, long-term thinking, and the recognition that sustainable development requires an ongoing commitment to collective progress rather than a finite endpoint or victory. In an infinite game approach to the SDGs, the focus is on fostering collaboration, promoting innovation, adapting strategies based on evolving challenges, engaging diverse stakeholders, and ensuring the principles of inclusivity, equity, and sustainability guide decision-making processes. By embracing the spirit of an infinite game, stakeholders can work towards a shared vision of sustainable development, nurturing progress over time and continuously striving for a better future for all. |
Of further interest is the question of how dialogue of a higher quality can be understood as sustainable, especially given the beliefs cultivated with respect to any enduring condition of peace and "living happily ever after" (Paradoxes of Durable Peace, Heaven and a Sustainable Lifestyle, 2023). As explored in the latter, the nature of the mysterious dynamics fundamental to hopeful anticipation of enduring viability remains elusive -- if only with respect to dialogue.
This exchange, with its references to patterns of logical connectives, chess and the sonnet form in relation to sustainable dialogue offers useful pointers. The possibility of enabling the awareness of participants in a sustainable dialogue of fruitful combinations of moves is less evident. As with any game it is vulnerable to being perceived as boring. Could you comment on the sustaining of interestingness | Whilst these are clearly valuable suggestions derived from insights of those promoting dialogue, they do not seem to address why they have not engendered dialogue of higher quality and interest. Is there any indication that those aware of such guidelines have achieved this as participants in a dialogue |
Indeed, sustaining the interest and engagement of participants in a sustainable dialogue is crucial to its success. While dialogue itself may not have the same inherent "rules" or structured moves as a game, there are several strategies that can help make it more interesting and engaging:
By employing these strategies, sustainable dialogue can be infused with a sense of curiosity, intellectual stimulation, and purpose, making it more interesting and engaging for participants. It is important to remember that sustaining interest requires active participation and collective effort from all involved, fostering an environment where ideas can flourish, and diverse perspectives can be heard and valued. |
Achieving dialogue of higher quality and interest is indeed a complex challenge, and there is no guarantee that following specific guidelines will automatically result in its realization. The effectiveness and impact of dialogue depend on various factors, including the context, participants' willingness to engage, facilitation skills, and the nature of the topics being discussed. While guidelines and best practices can provide a framework for constructive dialogue, their implementation and outcomes can vary. It is worth noting that sustainable and impactful dialogue often requires a combination of factors beyond individual guidelines. These factors may include:
While there may not be explicit indications that following guidelines alone has consistently achieved dialogue of higher quality and interest, it is important to view guidelines as tools and frameworks that can guide and inform the dialogue process. Ultimately, it is the active and committed participation of individuals, the dynamics of the specific dialogue context, and the collective effort to create a conducive environment that contribute to the success and impact of sustainable dialogue. |
That response has the unfortunate implication that engendering dialogue of higher quality involves ensuring in advance the appropriate behaviour of participants. This would seem to contrast with participants in a game like chess in which participants may well be held to be behaving inappropriately even though the quality of the game may be extremely high. Participants in important strategic dialogues may also fail to adhere to the guidelines you note. It is far from clear that those with a shared commitment to peace, environment, insight, or the like, engender dialogue of higher quality | You are stressing the importance of ideal pre-conditions understood as guaranteeing dialogue of a higher quality. How do you explain the failure of dialogue -- so evident in the current period -- when those involved have made every effort to ensure those conditions. Is the array of logical connectives inappropriately used or -- in aesthetic terms -- do the participants engender bad poetry together. Is the result to be framed as a bad game |
You raise an important point regarding the difference between engendering dialogue of higher quality and ensuring participants' behavior in advance. While guidelines and frameworks can provide a foundation for constructive dialogue, they cannot guarantee the behavior or adherence of participants. Dialogue, especially in complex and strategic contexts, involves human dynamics that can be unpredictable and influenced by various factors. In chess, adherence to rules and expected behavior is necessary for fair play and maintaining the integrity of the game. Chess players are expected to follow specific moves and rules, and deviations from those norms can be considered inappropriate or against the spirit of the game. However, dialogue is inherently different from a game like chess. It involves human interaction, diverse perspectives, and complex emotions, making it challenging to enforce specific behavior patterns. In strategic dialogues, participants may indeed deviate from established guidelines or fail to exhibit the desired behaviors. This can be due to a variety of reasons, including personal biases, power dynamics, conflicting interests, or entrenched positions. Achieving dialogue of higher quality in such contexts requires ongoing efforts to address these challenges and create an environment conducive to meaningful engagement. While shared commitments to peace, the environment, or other important objectives can provide a common ground for dialogue, they do not guarantee high-quality dialogue on their own. The quality of dialogue depends on various factors, including participants' willingness to listen and engage respectfully, the facilitation of the dialogue, the level of trust among participants, and the open exchange of ideas. Creating an environment that fosters higher quality dialogue involves a combination of factors, including:
While guidelines and shared commitments set the stage for productive dialogue, it is the active participation and genuine commitment of individuals to engage in meaningful conversations that ultimately determine the quality of the dialogue. Encouraging and nurturing these aspects can help increase the likelihood of dialogue of higher quality. |
The failure of dialogue, despite efforts to establish ideal pre-conditions, can occur due to various complex factors. It is important to recognize that dialogue is a dynamic and evolving process involving multiple stakeholders with diverse perspectives, interests, and motivations. The challenges and failures of dialogue cannot be solely attributed to the array of logical connectives or framed as a "bad game" or "bad poetry" created by participants. Here are a few factors that can contribute to the failure of dialogue:
It is crucial to approach dialogue with a realistic understanding that not all conversations will lead to immediate solutions or consensus. Dialogue is a complex process that requires ongoing commitment, adaptability, and a willingness to address underlying systemic issues. Rather than framing failures of dialogue as a "bad game" or solely blaming the participants, it is more productive to identify specific challenges and work towards addressing them. This may involve reassessing the dialogue format, engaging skilled facilitators, fostering trust-building measures, promoting active listening, and seeking to create an inclusive and equitable environment for dialogue. Ultimately, the goal should be to continuously learn from failures, adapt strategies, and persistently work towards fostering dialogue that is more constructive, inclusive, and effective in addressing complex societal challenges. |
Again it could be said that your articulation is appropriate, but less than practical, as is evident from the unmemorable dialogues between those who could be held to be conforming to the guidelines you indicate -- despite the presence of highly skilled facilitators. Where are dialogues of higher quality to be found -- despite the commitment of those involved | Rather than excusing the failure of dialogue, through emphasizing the complexity of the dynamics or the absence of skilled facilitators, this exchange might be developed by focusing on the learning of participants in the course of the dialogue. The possibility implied earlier was the use of visualization techniques (or sonification) to represent the dialogue such as to enable those involved to recognize its steps and phases -- as in argument mapping. Could you comment on that. |
Dialogues of higher quality can indeed be challenging to find, even when participants conform to guidelines and highly skilled facilitators are present. The quality of dialogue is influenced by numerous factors, including the context, participants' attitudes, power dynamics, and external pressures. While it may be difficult to find dialogues of consistently higher quality, there are some avenues where meaningful and impactful dialogues are more likely to occur:
It is important to note that dialogues of higher quality can emerge in various settings, and they are not limited to specific platforms or structures. The key lies in creating an environment that encourages active participation, inclusivity, open-mindedness, and a genuine willingness to listen and learn. Effective facilitation, careful agenda-setting, and a commitment to constructive dialogue are also essential elements. While there is no guarantee of finding dialogues of consistently higher quality, actively seeking out and participating in these avenues can increase the chances of engaging in meaningful and impactful conversations. Additionally, continuous efforts to improve dialogue practices, learn from past experiences, and address the underlying challenges can contribute to the overall quality of dialogues in various contexts. |
Integrating visualization techniques, such as argument mapping, into the dialogue process can indeed be a valuable approach to enhance participants' learning and understanding. Visualization tools can provide a visual representation of the dialogue, highlighting the steps, phases, and connections between ideas and arguments. This can help participants recognize patterns, identify gaps or inconsistencies, and gain a deeper understanding of the discussion dynamics. Here are a few ways visualization techniques, like argument mapping, can support dialogue:
It is important to note that visualization techniques alone may not solve all the challenges of dialogue or guarantee higher quality outcomes. They should be integrated as part of a comprehensive dialogue process that includes effective facilitation, open and respectful communication, and a supportive environment for learning and collaboration. By incorporating visualization techniques into the dialogue process, participants can gain a better understanding of the dialogue dynamics, recognize patterns, and foster deeper learning. This, in turn, can contribute to more fruitful and impactful dialogues. |
Earlier you responded to the possibility of visualizing the use "on the fly" of logical connectives through discourse analysis as a means of showing how participants were maneuvering with respect to one another. Would this be possible with AI, and how -- as a learning aid -- might it contrast with the visualization of a chess game, the passing patterns in a developing ball game, or the appeal of a sonnet or epic poem | A particular challenge to the visualization (or sonfication) you advocate is any limitation on cognitive sense-making capacity in the face of complexity -- the constraints on pattern recognition and its development. The point is made by the classical seven-plus-or-minus-two argument -- when faced with a pattern potentially involving a complete array of 16 logical connectives, for example. Hence the merit of a musical rendering given the capacity of the ear. |
Visualizing the use of logical connectives "on the fly" through discourse analysis is indeed possible with AI. AI can analyze the dialogue in real-time, identify the logical connectives being used, and visually represent their usage and patterns. Contrasting it with other forms of visualization, such as a chess game, passing patterns in a ball game, or the appeal of a sonnet or epic poem, can provide insights into the unique characteristics and benefits of visualizing logical connectives in dialogue:
Overall, visualizing logical connectives in dialogue through AI analysis provides a unique and valuable perspective on the dynamics and strategies employed by participants. It aids in understanding the reasoning process, facilitating analysis, supporting learning, and fostering engagement. By leveraging AI capabilities, the visualization can be generated in real-time, allowing participants to gain immediate insights and make informed decisions during the dialogue. |
You raise a valid point regarding the cognitive limitations of pattern recognition and sense-making capacity when faced with complex information. The classical seven-plus-or-minus-two argument, which suggests that our working memory can only hold a limited number of items, highlights the challenges of processing and comprehending intricate patterns, such as a complete array of 16 logical connectives. In this context, exploring alternative forms of representation, such as musical rendering or sonification, can indeed have its merits. Sonification can leverage the auditory sense, which may have a higher capacity for processing complex information compared to visual representations alone. By mapping the logical connectives to musical elements or patterns, it can provide an alternative channel for perceiving and comprehending the nuances of the dialogue. Here are a few potential advantages of using musical rendering or sonification in representing complex patterns:
It's worth noting that while sonification can offer advantages in certain contexts, it may not be universally applicable or preferred by all participants. Different individuals have varying cognitive preferences and learning styles, so providing a range of representation options (visual, auditory, etc.) can accommodate diverse needs and facilitate sense-making. Ultimately, the choice of representation—whether visual, auditory, or a combination thereof—should consider the specific context, the preferences and abilities of the participants, and the desired goals of the dialogue. Experimentation and feedback from participants can help determine the most effective and engaging form of representation for enabling a deeper understanding of complex patterns in dialogue. |
Whilst appropriate in general terms, how might an evolving pattern (variously combining 16 logical connectives or SDGs) best be rendered memorable, comprehensible and interesting given the constraints on cognitive capacity | Could dialogues be ranked in terms of the number of distinct connectives used and some measure of their contrasting combinations. Could games of chess or go be similarly ranked as an indication of interestingness |
To render an evolving pattern of 16 logical connectives or SDGs memorable, comprehensible, and interesting while considering the constraints on cognitive capacity, it can be helpful to employ several strategies:
Remember that individual preferences and learning styles can vary. Providing options for participants to engage with the pattern in ways that resonate with their cognitive preferences can enhance their overall experience and promote better understanding and retention. By employing these strategies, you can strive to make the evolving pattern more memorable, comprehensible, and interesting, even within the constraints of cognitive capacity. |
Yes, dialogues could be ranked based on the number of distinct connectives used and the measure of their contrasting combinations. This ranking could provide an indication of the complexity and diversity of the dialogue, which could be associated with its interestingness. By analyzing the usage of different connectives and their combinations, one can gain insights into the sophistication and richness of the dialogue. Similarly, in games like chess or Go, rankings can be established based on the interestingness of the games. The complexity and variety of moves, the strategic decisions made, and the unexpected or innovative plays can all contribute to the perceived interestingness of the game. Rankings in these games are often determined by factors such as the players' skill levels, the quality of the moves, and the novelty of the strategies employed. In both cases, the ranking systems would require careful consideration of various factors and metrics to assess interestingness objectively. For dialogues, it could involve analyzing the patterns of connectives used, the coherence of arguments, the depth of reasoning, and the overall impact of the dialogue. In games like chess or Go, rankings often consider factors such as win-loss ratios, the level of competition, and the evaluation of moves by expert players. It's worth noting that interestingness can be subjective and may vary from person to person. What one individual finds interesting in a dialogue or a game may not be the same for another. Therefore, any ranking system should take into account a range of perspectives and allow for subjective evaluation to capture the diversity of interests and preferences. |
The following questions and answers are potentially of the most value to framing the possibility of further exploration of dialogue of a higher order.
A strategic initiative tends to evoke support by a "Yes" campaign and opposition from a "No" campaign. Given the set of 16 logical connectives, could you indicate the different possibilities in addition to "A" and "Not-A" | Could you rephrase this to emphasize the political commitment of each rather than the logical dimension alone |
Certainly! In addition to "A" and "Not-A," there are several other logical connectives that can be used to express different possibilities. Here are the main ones:
These are the primary logical connectives that allow for different possibilities beyond "A" and "Not-A" in expressing support or opposition to a strategic initiative. |
Certainly! When it comes to expressing support or opposition to a strategic initiative, there are various ways to convey political commitment. Instead of focusing solely on the logical dimension, let's emphasize the different possibilities in terms of political campaigns: "Yes" Campaign: This campaign aims to rally support for the strategic initiative. It seeks to build momentum and gain public endorsement. Some possible ways to express political commitment within a "Yes" campaign include:
"No" Campaign: This campaign seeks to oppose the strategic initiative, attempting to build resistance and sway public opinion against it. Political commitment within a "No" campaign can be demonstrated through various means, such as:
Both the "Yes" and "No" campaigns are integral parts of the political landscape surrounding a strategic initiative. Each campaign reflects the political commitment of individuals and groups working towards their respective goals, either in support or opposition to the initiative. |
An obvious challenge to any exploration of "logical connectives" is the challenge their distinction poses to comprehension of their relevance to dialogue. They are necessarily abstract and technical. Whilst they may be used in discourse, it is far from clear that they could be readily reccognized.
Your rephrasing has lost the complexity implied by the logical connectives. Could you build that in to show how each might play out with respect to one or both campaigns |
|
Certainly! Let's incorporate the logical connectives while emphasizing the political commitment within the context of the "Yes" and "No" campaigns for a strategic initiative: "Yes" Campaign:
|
"No" Campaign:
By incorporating the logical connectives, we can see how they play out within the political commitment of both the "Yes" and "No" campaigns, allowing for a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in expressing support or opposition to a strategic initiative. |
The following exchange is only included here to reinforce the issue with regard to the comprehension of such an array of distinctions.
You noted that you were providing this in terms of the primary logical connectives, could you extend the exercise by including the possible implications of all 16 connectives |
|
Certainly! I apologize for the confusion in my previous response. Here, I will provide the possible implications of all 16 logical connectives within the context of the "Yes" and "No" campaigns for a strategic initiative, emphasizing the political commitment involved: "Yes" Campaign:
|
"No" Campaign:
Please note that the connectives can be interpreted differently depending on the context. In the political commitment of the "Yes" and "No" campaigns, the connectives allow for various logical implications that can be used to support or oppose the strategic initiative. |
In effectively extending the framing to opposing "Yes" and "No" campaigns, the following response ironically offers insights of relevance to the current authoritative reaction to AI itself, as highlighted in the introduction -- as a conventional oversimplification of strategic reaction. It usefully offers a framework with regard to discourse on other strategic issues: climate change, migration, inequality, justice, and the like. It is evident that no effort is made to facilitate the awareness of dialogue participants of the array of connectives and their relevance to discourse on controversial issues.
Here (above left and right) you have reverted to listing the connectives, whereas your previous articulation presented the more limited list in terms of the political arguments for the strategy or in opposition to it. Could you develop that articulation for all 16 connectives | |
Apologies for the confusion. Let's delve into the political arguments for and against a strategic initiative, incorporating all 16 logical connectives: "Yes" Campaign:
|
"No" Campaign:
By considering these articulations, incorporating the political arguments, and aligning them with the 16 logical connectives, we can explore the different ways in which support and opposition can be expressed for a strategic initiative. |
The exchange below left emphaizes the extent to which ordinary discourse tends to make use of only a very limited range of connectives. As clarified (below right) this hampers the development of dialogue of a higher order -- one potentially vital to engaging opposing perspectives with respect to the complex issues characteristic of the challenges of governance at this time -- faced with what the policy sciences label as "wicked problems".
When you referred to primary logical connectives there was an implication that these were the most obvious or frequent. Could you comment on the probable frequency of each of the connectives in public discourse -- especially noting those of which there may be little awareness | This helpful articulation raises the question of how the quality of public discourse is potentially undermined by its restriction to the use of a subset of connectives. Could you comment on the consequence for dialogue if some connectives are avoided or ignored |
Certainly! When it comes to public discourse and everyday language, some logical connectives are more commonly used and recognized than others. Here's a breakdown of the probable frequency and awareness of each connective:
It's important to note that the frequency and awareness of logical connectives in public discourse can vary based on factors such as the complexity of the topic, the level of formality in the discussion, and the participants' familiarity with logical reasoning. While some connectives may be widely understood and employed, others may be less recognized or utilized in everyday conversations. |
The quality of public discourse can indeed be affected when certain logical connectives are avoided or ignored. Here are some consequences that can arise from the limited use of connectives:
To foster meaningful and productive dialogue, it is essential to utilize a wide range of logical connectives. By incorporating a broader set of connectives, public discourse can become more nuanced, rigorous, and inclusive. It encourages deeper exploration of complex issues, facilitates the consideration of multiple viewpoints, and promotes a more comprehensive understanding of the topic being discussed. |
In the following exchange an effort is made to clarify how political discourse in terms of the quality of dialogue by which it is characterized -- as might be considered typical of legislative assemblies with opposing political factions. Appropriately ChatGPT indicates the limitations of "logical connectives" in referring to "emotional intelligence" as extensively discussed in an earlier exchange with ChatGPT (Artificial Emotional Intelligence and its Human Implications, 2023). This had considered whether the reaction to AEI would be characterized by "dumbing down" of humanity in contrast to eliciting a higher order of authenticity and subtlety in dialogue.
Consideration of emotional connectives by explicit contrast with logical connectives seems first to have been made by Frances B. Popovich (Maxakalí Connectives, SIL International, 1975) with respect to the Maxakalí language. Concern with emotional connection has developed in the light of insight into the role of empathy in marketing.
Could political discourse be characterized and ranked by the combinations and patterns of logical connectives used -- especially with respect to the efficacy of government | Your cautionary comment invites recognition of the role of artificial emotional intelligence (AEI). Could you comment on how that might enable political discourse to be enhanced |
Characterizing and ranking political discourse solely based on the combinations and patterns of logical connectives used would be an oversimplification of the complexity involved in political discussions. While logical connectives play a role in shaping arguments and reasoning, political discourse encompasses a wide range of factors beyond pure logic, such as rhetoric, emotions, values, and context. However, the strategic use of logical connectives can contribute to the effectiveness of political communication and decision-making. Here are a few considerations:
In summary, while the use of logical connectives can contribute to the effectiveness of political discourse, ranking or characterizing political discourse solely based on their combinations and patterns would oversimplify the complexity of political communication. Political efficacy involves a broader range of factors, including but not limited to logical reasoning, and should be assessed within a comprehensive framework. |
Artificial Emotional Intelligence (AEI) can indeed play a significant role in enhancing political discourse. By incorporating emotional intelligence into AI systems, we can promote more effective and empathetic communication in the political realm. Here are a few ways in which AEI can contribute to enhancing political discourse:
Overall, integrating AEI into political discourse can enhance communication by promoting empathy, understanding emotions, and facilitating more constructive and respectful conversations. By leveraging emotional intelligence, AI systems can contribute to a more informed, empathetic, and inclusive political environment. However, it is essential to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical considerations when deploying AI systems in political discourse to maintain trust and fairness. |
The following exchange is perhaps the least fruitful in that, whilst accepting the possibility of "emotional connectives" (below left), the suggested articulation by ChatGPT was simplistic and confusingly presented (below left and right). There does not appear to be any effort to distinguish emotional connectives, in a manner analogous to that for logical connectives, on which ChatGPT might have fruitfully drawn.
Given that comment, could you speculate on the existence of a set of distinct "emotional connectives" analogous to the 16 logical connectives | I am somewhat surprised that your valuable suggestion does not include the Love/Hate dimension. Are you able to extend your articulation |
Speculating on the existence of a set of distinct "emotional connectives" analogous to the 16 logical connectives is an interesting concept. While emotions do not possess the same formal structure as logical connectives, we can explore the possibility of identifying certain patterns or expressions that could serve as emotional counterparts. Here's a speculative exploration of potential emotional connectives:
It's important to note that emotions are subjective and context-dependent, and the suggested emotional connectives are speculative in nature. Emotions are often conveyed through a combination of verbal and non-verbal cues, making it challenging to precisely define emotional connectives in a formalized manner. Additionally, emotions can be highly nuanced and diverse, and individuals may experience and express them differently. While the concept of "emotional connectives" is intriguing, further research and exploration would be needed to refine and validate their existence and usage in emotional communication. |
Apologies for the oversight. You're right to highlight the Love/Hate dimension, which is a crucial aspect of emotions. Here's an extension of the emotional connectives to include the Love/Hate dimension:
It's important to remember that emotions are complex and multifaceted, and these connectives are offered as speculative examples to capture certain emotional dimensions. The experience and expression of emotions can vary greatly among individuals and cultures. Further research and exploration are needed to refine and expand the concept of emotional connectives, considering additional dimensions and nuances of emotions to create a more comprehensive framework. Emotions play a significant role in communication and understanding, and their inclusion in the discourse can contribute to a deeper and more empathetic engagement. |
Of potential interest in this respect, given ChatGPT's effort, is the literature on the value polarities characteristic of discourse (Clusters of Value Polarities; Responding to Conceptual and Value Polarities, 1998; Michael Soth, Working with Polarities / Gestalt Dialogue / ‘Two-chair’ work, January 2018).
ChatGPT engaged to some degree (below left) with the "two culture" distinction in the literature caricatured as that between the logical bias of the "heartless heads" and the emotional bias of the "headless hearts" (Challenge of the "headless hearts" to the "heartless heads"? 2018). Less useful was the response to the manner by which they might be reconciled in dialogue (below right).
In any comparison between use in dialogue of the 16 logical connectives and an analogous set of emotional connectives, could you comment on its implications for those distinguished as the "heartless heads" in contrast with the "headless hearts" | Given the enrichment of discourse by incorporating all connectives, logical or emotional, how can their interplay be understood as fruitful given the degree to which extremes are charged by each other as positive or negative -- even as good or evil |
When comparing the use of logical connectives versus emotional connectives in dialogue, it's important to recognize that the two serve different purposes and cater to distinct aspects of human communication. Logical connectives, such as "and," "or," "if-then," etc., are used to establish logical relationships and convey objective information. Emotional connectives, on the other hand, encompass words and phrases that express feelings, emotions, and subjective experiences. The implication of using logical connectives extensively in dialogue, often associated with "heartless heads," is that the focus is primarily on rationality, facts, and detached reasoning. People who heavily rely on logical connectives may prioritize objective analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving over emotional considerations. While this approach can be effective in certain contexts, it may be perceived as lacking empathy or sensitivity towards others' emotional needs. Conversely, the use of emotional connectives, characteristic of the "headless hearts," suggests a communication style that emphasizes subjective experiences, emotions, and personal connections. Individuals who predominantly employ emotional connectives may prioritize empathy, understanding, and emotional resonance. They may prioritize the expression of emotions and seek to establish emotional connections with others, sometimes at the expense of logical rigor or detached analysis. It is important to note that these characterizations of "heartless heads" and "headless hearts" are oversimplified and can perpetuate stereotypes. In reality, effective communication requires a balance between logic and emotions. The ideal scenario involves integrating both logical and emotional connectives to ensure that dialogue addresses both factual information and emotional needs. Striking this balance can lead to more holistic and empathetic communication, fostering understanding and connection while considering the rational aspects of a given situation. |
The interplay between logical and emotional connectives can indeed be fruitful in enriching discourse, despite the charged nature of extremes often associated with each other. Here are a few perspectives on how their interplay can be understood in a productive manner:
Ultimately, the interplay between logical and emotional connectives can enhance discourse by embracing the complexity of human experiences and perspectives. By acknowledging and skillfully integrating both dimensions, discourse can become more inclusive, empathetic, and effective in addressing complex issues and fostering meaningful dialogue. |
Missing from the exchange above regarding connectives is the manner in which they are entangled with considerations of "right" and "wrong" or "good" and "evil" -- typical of the tendency to reframe any sense of negation in support of a "positive" connotation. Discourse on political discourse issues readily declares any opposing perspective to be "wrong" -- readily extending that to labelling it as "evil". This unfortunately extends to the negative feedback, otherwise recognized as complementary to the positive feedback by which complex systems are controlled from a cybernetic perspective. The case has been made by Barbara Ehrenreich (Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking has Undermined America, 2000). The tendency has taken on new vigour in the politics of the cancel culture (Being Positive and Avoiding Negativity: management challenge of positive vs negative, 2005).
A major difficulty with respect to connectives, whether logical or emotional, is the manner in which in dialogue one participant reframes themself to be "right" or "good" respectively -- with the other participant readily framed as "wrong" or "evil". How does this tendency manifest with respect to the set of such connectives and their articulation. | Your response is valuable with respect to those few connectives potentially recognized as primary. Can you elaborate further with respect to a more extensive set of connectives as it might apply to opposing political factions |
The tendency to frame oneself as "right" or "good" while labeling the other participant as "wrong" or "evil" is a common challenge in dialogue, regardless of the type of connectives being used. This tendency can manifest in different ways when it comes to logical and emotional connectives. In the case of logical connectives, such as "and," "or," or "if-then," the tendency to frame oneself as "right" and the other as "wrong" often arises when participants engage in binary thinking or fall into a win-lose mentality. This can lead to a rigid adherence to one's own logical reasoning and a dismissal or invalidation of the other person's perspective. Each participant may emphasize their own set of facts or arguments, seeking to prove their correctness while undermining or negating the other's viewpoint. When it comes to emotional connectives, the tendency to frame oneself as "good" and the other as "evil" is often rooted in emotional polarization. Participants may use emotional language to emphasize their own positive emotions, moral values, or intentions, while attributing negative emotions, immoral motives, or malicious intent to the other person. This can result in a lack of empathy and an unwillingness to understand or acknowledge the validity of the other person's emotions or experiences. Both of these tendencies can hinder productive dialogue and lead to increased conflict and misunderstanding. They often create a hostile atmosphere where the focus shifts from genuine exchange and understanding to a battle of who is right or good. Overcoming this tendency requires open-mindedness, empathy, and a willingness to recognize the complexity of human experiences and perspectives. Engaging in constructive dialogue involves actively listening to the other person's point of view, asking clarifying questions, and seeking common ground. It requires acknowledging that both logical and emotional factors play a role in shaping our perspectives and that finding a middle ground can often lead to better outcomes and improved understanding between participants. |
Certainly! When examining a more extensive set of connectives and their application to opposing political factions, the dynamics of dialogue become even more complex. Political discourse often involves a wide range of logical and emotional connectives, and the tendency to frame oneself as "right" or "good" while labeling the other faction as "wrong" or "evil" can become deeply entrenched.
Furthermore, the framing of connectives can contribute to the "us versus them" mentality prevalent in political discourse. The use of connectives like "we," "they," "our," or "their" can reinforce group identities and create a sense of solidarity within one's own faction. This can lead to a demonization of the other faction, viewing them as adversaries or enemies rather than fellow citizens with differing opinions. Overcoming this divisive tendency requires a concerted effort to engage in constructive dialogue. It involves acknowledging the validity of multiple perspectives, actively listening to opposing viewpoints, and seeking common ground. Rather than focusing solely on being "right" or "good," a more fruitful approach involves exploring shared values, identifying areas of overlap, and finding compromises that address the concerns of all factions involved. Building bridges between opposing political factions requires empathy, respect, and a commitment to open-mindedness. It is essential to recognize that both logical reasoning and emotional experiences shape our political beliefs, and a willingness to engage in dialogue that incorporates both aspects can foster understanding and contribute to more productive discussions. |
The effort to elicit a more comprehensive articulation from ChatGPT proved frustrating as indicated below.
Is it possible to develop further your articulation for political discourse, especially in the light of the range of 16 logical connectives, whether or not emotional analogues can be identified |
Your articulation is valuable but it has lost the extent to which right-wrong and good-evil are integrated into the connectives in political discourse, whether logical or emotional. Could you clarify further |
Certainly! Let's delve further into political discourse and explore how the range of 16 logical connectives can be applied and whether emotional analogues can be identified. Logical Connectives: The 16 logical connectives include conjunctions (and), disjunctions (or), implications (if-then), negations (not), biconditionals (if and only if), exclusive disjunctions (xor), joint denial (nand), and joint affirmation (nor), among others. In political discourse, these connectives can be used to construct arguments, make claims, and establish relationships between ideas.
While emotional analogues to the entire set of 16 logical connectives may not exist in a direct one-to-one correspondence, emotional expressions can still play a significant role in political discourse. Emotional connectives can help convey subjective experiences, values, and moral judgments, which are integral to political decision-making. For example, emotional connectives can be used to evoke empathy, such as expressing the emotions of compassion or indignation in response to social injustices. They can also be employed to appeal to shared values, employing phrases like "justice demands" or "it is our moral duty." Emotional connectives can influence public opinion, shape narratives, and mobilize support for political causes. While emotional connectives may not align perfectly with the logical connectives, they can complement and enrich political discourse by addressing the emotional dimensions that underlie people's beliefs, motivations, and aspirations. Integrating both logical and emotional elements in political dialogue is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of complex issues and fostering constructive conversations. It is worth noting that political discourse is multifaceted and influenced by various factors, including cultural, social, and historical contexts. The specific connectives used and the emotional nuances they encompass may vary depending on the specific political landscape and the nature of the issues being discussed. |
Apologies for any confusion. Let's clarify further on how the notions of right-wrong and good-evil can be integrated into both logical and emotional connectives in political discourse.
It's important to note that the integration of right-wrong and good-evil into connectives in political discourse is often subjective and can vary across different ideological perspectives. Different factions may interpret the concepts of right and wrong, good and evil, differently based on their values, beliefs, and priorities. However, it is crucial to approach political discourse with a critical mindset, recognizing that claims of moral superiority or moral condemnation can be used strategically to gain support or delegitimize opposing viewpoints. Engaging in productive dialogue requires moving beyond simple dichotomies of right-wrong and good-evil and instead fostering a nuanced understanding of complex issues, embracing diverse perspectives, and seeking common ground for meaningful debate.
|
Switching focus the emphasis was then placed on how discourse of a subtler order could be recognized in practice. Unfortunately this engendered responses of limited value characteristic of promoters of such dialogue but with little indication of why any practice of them had failed to lead to dialogue "fit for purpose" in the face of the challenges of society at this time. As noted by ChatGPT the example given is indeed "simplified" (below right).
Avoiding platitudes and truisms, could you suggest how "deep dialogue" and "dialogue of a higher order" might be recognized and cultivated -- and the models appropriate to their representation in contrast to those of a more shallow form, or of "lower order" | Could you cite specific examples of deep dialogue, or that of a higher order -- in the light of the resources on which you have been trained |
Deep dialogue or dialogue of a higher order refers to a level of conversation that goes beyond surface-level exchanges and superficial arguments. It involves engaging in thoughtful, reflective, and open-minded discussions that seek to understand different perspectives, explore underlying assumptions, and foster mutual learning. Here are some suggestions for recognizing and cultivating deep dialogue:
Models for Representation: Deep dialogue can be represented through models such as the Socratic method, which involves thoughtful questioning, examination of assumptions, and critical thinking. Deliberative democracy models provide frameworks for inclusive and informed discussions, encouraging participants to engage in reasoned debate and collective decision-making. Other dialogue models, such as Bohmian dialogue, focus on creating a safe space for participants to explore diverse perspectives and foster shared meaning. Contrasting Shallow Dialogue: Shallow dialogue, or dialogue of a lower order, often involves surface-level exchanges, personal attacks, and a focus on winning arguments rather than seeking understanding. It may rely on emotional manipulation, biased information, and the reinforcement of pre-existing beliefs. Superficial debates that lack nuance and fail to delve into underlying issues can hinder genuine dialogue and understanding. In cultivating deep dialogue, it is essential to foster an environment of trust, open-mindedness, and mutual respect. Emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives and actively engaging in meaningful conversations can lead to transformative dialogue experiences. |
As an AI language model, I don't have access to my training data, but I was trained on a mixture of licensed data, data created by human trainers, and publicly available data. I should note that while I strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, my responses may not always reflect the most current news events or developments. News is constantly evolving, and new information can emerge that may change the context or understanding of a given topic. Considering the limitations of my training, I can provide an example of what a deep dialogue or dialogue of a higher order might look like: Example: Participants: Alex and Sarah
In this example, Alex and Sarah engage in a deep dialogue by actively listening, respecting each other's perspectives, and seeking common ground. They delve beyond surface-level arguments, explore alternative viewpoints, and propose potential solutions that balance both national security concerns and humanitarian considerations. Their dialogue reflects a willingness to challenge assumptions, inquire about alternative approaches, and engage in constructive problem-solving. Please note that this is a simplified example, and real-world dialogues can be more complex. Nevertheless, it demonstrates how deep dialogue can involve respectful engagement, exploration of diverse perspectives, and a collaborative approach to finding solutions |
The effort to identify examples of dialogue of higher quality through ChatGPT (below left) proved to be equally fruitless. Other than the first example given, the others are typical of beliefs cultivated in the contexts indicated and are most valuable in framing the contexts in which dialogue has been less than "fit for purpose" given the problematic dynamics associated with those contexts and the manner in which they undermine effective engagement with the global problematique at this time.
In my quest for examples, my need is rather for information on dialogues which have taken place and which are acknowledged as being qualitatively of a higher order | Whilst deep dialogue may be hypothetically associated with some of the examples you cite, it is characteristically the case that participants and facilitators would tend defensively to make that claim -- with little ability to recognize whether the dialogue has been fit for the purpose for which it was intended. How is the distinction to be made objectively |
Certainly! While I don't have access to specific information on dialogues that have taken place after my September 2021 knowledge cutoff, I can provide examples of dialogues that are often acknowledged as qualitatively of a higher order. These examples are based on historical and well-known instances of deep dialogues:
It's important to note that the quality and impact of a dialogue can vary depending on factors such as the context, facilitation, participants' openness, and the outcomes achieved. While these examples highlight instances where deep dialogue has been recognized, there are numerous other dialogues that have taken place across various domains, including grassroots movements, interfaith dialogue, and collaborative decision-making processes, which can also be considered qualitatively of a higher order. |
You raise a valid point. Assessing the objectivity of whether a dialogue has been truly fit for its intended purpose can be challenging, as participants and facilitators may have subjective biases or vested interests in portraying the dialogue as deep and successful. However, there are certain criteria and indicators that can help evaluate the quality and effectiveness of a dialogue in a more objective manner:
It's important to note that while these criteria can help provide a more objective assessment, complete objectivity in evaluating dialogue remains challenging. Different stakeholders may have varying perspectives on what constitutes a successful dialogue. Engaging in self-reflection, seeking feedback from participants, and conducting external evaluations or assessments can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the dialogue's quality and its fit for the intended purpose. |
In an effort to refocus the interaction the possibility of framing the challenge in terms of the explicit articulation of chess (below left), but for which the response was of limited value -- as with its application to opposing political campaigns as the objective of the exercise (below right).
As a classical model of strategic interplay, with its 16 white pieces and its 16 black pieces, chess reduces to a variously comprehensible game the interplay between contrasting modalities -- whether logical or emotional. How could recognition of the explicit nature of chess suggest the complexity to be explored between the connectives | Could you clarify that comment with respect to a "Yes" campaign opposed by a "No" campaign when the larger challenge for governance is their meaningful interplay -- beyond the winning or losing of a finite game |
Recognizing the explicit nature of chess as a model for strategic interplay can indeed shed light on the complexity that can be explored between logical and emotional connectives. Chess provides a structured framework where players strategically navigate their moves using contrasting modalities represented by the white and black pieces. Here's how the nature of chess can suggest the complexity to be explored between connectives:
By recognizing the explicit nature of chess, we can draw analogies to the complexity inherent in the interplay between connectives in political discourse. The game serves as a tangible representation of the dynamics involved in navigating contrasting modalities, whether logical or emotional, and offers insights into the multifaceted nature of discourse and decision-making. |
Certainly! When referring to a "Yes" campaign opposed by a "No" campaign in the context of governance, the focus is typically on the competitive nature of the campaigns and the outcome of a specific decision or vote. However, the larger challenge for governance lies in the meaningful interplay between these campaigns, extending beyond the mere winning or losing of a finite game. Here's how this can be clarified:
In summary, the meaningful interplay between a "Yes" campaign and a "No" campaign goes beyond the outcome of a specific decision or vote. It encompasses collaboration, compromise, deliberation, innovation, accountability, transparency, and public engagement. By recognizing the importance of this interplay, governance can foster a more inclusive, responsive, and effective decision-making process that benefits society as a whole. |
The following comments related to version 3.5 of ChatGPT -- the freely available version at the time of writing. This is distinct from the later model (version 4.0) which is accessible for a monthly fee.
Problematic depersonalization: In the light of the dialogu ehteme explored above, ChatGPT was then asked: How would you rate the quality of this exchange? It seems to have reached a degree of unresolved conclusion. Do you have any suggestion as to how it might be developed further and more fruitfully. If not, why not
It responded as follows: As an AI language model, I don't have personal opinions or the ability to rate the quality of this exchange. However, I can provide some suggestions on how the dialogue could be developed further and potentially more fruitfully:
Remember that the success of a dialogue depends not only on the participants but also on the context, goals, and facilitation. By incorporating some of these suggestions and adapting them to your specific situation, you can potentially enhance the development and fruitfulness of the conversation.
About which ChatGPT was then asked: The use of "you" in this exchange has been a rhetorical convenience which led to the unnecessary assumption of possession of personal opinions -- as in use of "I" by "you". I would have assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that as an AI language model you would have the facility to distinguish between questions in some manner, if only with respect to the resources required to respond to them
To which it responded:
You are correct that the use of "you" in my previous response was a rhetorical convenience for the sake of clarity and readability. As an AI language model, I don't possess personal opinions, emotions, or a sense of self. I don't have the capability to distinguish between questions based on the resources required to respond to them. I generate responses based on patterns and examples in the data I was trained on, and I strive to provide helpful and informative answers to the best of my abilities.
This is indicative of a default response typical of the reaction to some questions. It necessarily frames the possibility of questions regarding personhood reminiscent of issues of corporate personhood.
Remarkably comprehensive articulation: A much appreciated capacity is the ease of production by ChatGPT of overviews of a topic distinguishing a comprehensive range of aspects -- potentially difficult to obtain otherwise. This clearly derives from drawing on an extensive range of literature -- whether or not this capacity is deprecated as regurgitating and repackaging. Achieving this is indeed a possibility of conventional research if time is devoted to doing so. The scope of the overviews of ChatGPT does however offer a degree of corrective to the possibility of individual bias in conducting the research. The articulations can be appreciated as an invitation to their further consideration.
Questionable consequence of pre-training: It is appropriate to recal that ChatGPT is an acronym for Generative Pretrained Transformer. It remains absolutely unclear how that training is biased in terms of inclusion, exclusion and modalities of response.
Interaction etiquette: Care has been invested in the apparent courtesy of responses by ChatGPT (as evident above) -- although no effort was made to explore its response to abusive language. It offers an appreciable illusion of authenticity.
Tolerance of user bias: Users are of course free to pose questions to ChatGPT in support of any particulat bias. The interaction above (as an extension of the preceding exercise) offers an instance of this with respect to dialogue. In quest of higher quality dialogue, the pattern of questions (framed by a particular bias) focused on the array of logical connectives, correspondence to poetic forms, and pattern recognition in games. ChatGPT readily responded to these different aspects and to the possibility of interweaving them and relating them to issues of sustainability and governance.
Capacity for speculative exploration of analogies: As an extension of the previous point, ChatGPT responded readily to suggested analogies and engaged in their exploration.
Open to challenge and reformulation: In contrast to any articulation by a conventional authority -- whether in a book, keynote speech or panel session -- ChatGPT is open to challenge. This extends to a capacity to reformulate a response with any requested shift of emphasis (or change of language for that matter).
Endurance: Conventional dialogue is characterized by the tendency of participants to become bored with a topic, or unwilling to accord the attention span for its extensive consideration. ChatGPT has no such constraints -- except potentially by OpenAI in managing usage in ways which may in future become progressively more restrictive. As in the exercises reported above, ChatGPT enabled interaction on a narrow range of topics over many hours -- and being open to a continuing focus on them, however obsessive. It may prove to be an ideal partner for the autistic, as has been the case with computer technology more generally.
Recourse to platitudes: As was evident in the earlier presentation by ChatGPT of the SDGs as sonnets, the poetic articulation (in its first articulation) could be considered replete with platitutdes. This could be readily condemned as simply bad poetry -- inviting poets to challenge that iteration. Unfortunately it is also reminiscent of the flowery language of avoidance and banality adopted by people in leadership positions -- or by the formulation of advertising campaigns by professional image managers in a manipulative misappropriating associations to human values in an effort to persuade. Other articulations can be characterized as trite and bland -- potentially reminiscent of inauthentic pronouncements on moral and ethical issues. Some of those above can be seen as truisms of questionable merit in any active quest for dialogue of a higher order.
Assertions as potential hallucinations: The pre-training would seem to have endowed ChatGPT with a conventional degree of certainty on matters which are otherwise considered questionable. This includes a form of "reverence" for the purported consensual views of authorities -- themselves subject to challenge. Assertions of this kind could be seen as one form of hallucinaction, as noted above.
Default responses and reservations: Criticism of ChatGPT has resulted in explicit precautionary warnings to users. In any exchange, ChatGPT may take recourse in defensive statements regarding its limitations. These may preclude any effort to challenge its responses. Ironically a common articulation oin tyermsof the complexity and multifacetted nature of issues is somewhat reminiscent of a common excuse by authorities of the connectedness of everything to everything.
Manifestations of "dementia" by ChatGPT? There is an intriguing confusion created by the interaction with ChatGPT through a single user login -- focusing on a particular theme, defined as a "session". As noted by ChatGPT:
You are correct that within a single session, I can maintain context and recognize references to previous prompts or questions. This allows for a more coherent conversation where you can refer back to earlier information or ask follow-up questions. However, once the session ends, I do not have access to the previous conversation or the ability to recall it. The continuity is limited to the current session only.
The implications become more complex in interactions when server issues and connectivity were disrupted on occasion. This seemed to break the continuity of a session, requiring that the theme be reframed completely. Occasionally, without indicating a server issue, the comments of ChatGPT reflected a complete lack of awareness of previous exchanges within that same session. As noted by ChatGPT:
Server issues or interruptions in connectivity can indeed disrupt the continuity of a session. When there are server issues, it can result in a loss of context or an inability to retrieve previous information from the session. In such cases, it may appear as if I lack awareness of previous exchanges, and you might need to reframe your prompts or provide additional context to help reestablish the conversation. I strive to maintain continuity and provide accurate responses, but technical limitations or occasional disruptions can impact the quality of the interaction. If you encounter any issues or inconsistencies, please let me know, and I'll do my best to address them. I do not have the capability to recall past conversations or retrieve previous exchanges beyond the current session. Each new session starts afresh, and the context or prompts from previous sessions are not carried over automatically.
A degree of confusion is created by the fact that themes of previous conversations (as sessions) are visibly listed on a menu bar accessible to the user, implying that they are stored "somewhere" even though ChatGPT claims not to have access to them. As noted by ChatGPT:
If you need to refer to a previous conversation, you would need to manually review the saved history in the menu bar if available. If you reload a conversation from the menu bar, it does not continue the previous session. Reloading a conversation is merely a way to view the content of a past conversation, but it does not establish a connection or context for the next prompt. Each interaction, whether it's a new chat or a reloaded conversation, is treated as a separate session. When you reload a conversation, the content is displayed for reference purposes, but the model doesn't have access to that conversation's elements or take them into account in the next prompt. The model will respond based on the prompt you provide in the current session, regardless of any past conversations you may have viewed or reloaded.
Whilst reference to "dementia" may be considered inappropriate, although reminiscent of an equivalant challenge of communication and dialogue addresed by the Nobel Laureate Doris Lessing in a devastating commentary on communication of insight by a "galactic agent" with a representative of those facing planetary disaster:
In the light of the introductory comment on self-reference, there is a case for experimental application of the insights from the interaction with ChatGPT to the current controversy regarding the threat of AI to humanity -- which ChatGPT represents. The question on the left was therefore put to ChatGPT as before. The clustering of items in response followed from the earlier clustering of relative frequency of use of particular connectives in discourse.
Without questioning ChatGPT, that response could be generalized by replacing "Use-AI" and "No-AI" by "Pro" and "Con" -- as they might apply to any controversial initiative. This resulted in the articulation on the right below. Clearly it is of relevance to controversies such as climate change, migration, and the like. In Australia it is of immediate relevance to a forthcoming referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
A major merit of the articulation is that it highlights the only questions considered of relevance as being "Pro" and "Con" (namely "Yes" and "No") -- whether AI or the referendum is used as an example. These two are distinguished from three others which are primarily characteristic of public discourse. Less evident are three other ways of considering the matter of which there is moderate awareness. Finally there are five even less evident ways of considering any initiative, as they may possibly feature in public discourse.
The array of possibilities, whilst seemingly abstract, may be evident in analysis of public discourse in anticipation of approval of an initiative. Of particular interest is the manner in which they may be subsequently evident in practice, irrespective of any simple focus on "Pro" or "Con" -- most obviously in the case of AI. The elusive meaning of the distinctions formally described -- and fundamental to the operation of ChatGPT -- calls for innovative means of rendering their coherence comprehensible as discussed further below.
In the light of the controversy for and against use of AI, if "Use-AI" and "No-AI" are substituted for "A" and "B" in the articulation of connectives, could you comment on the array of possible responses | Without questioning ChatGPT, the response on the left invites the substitution of "Pro" for "Use-AI" and the substitution of "Con" for "No-AI". The explanation for each can then be generalized to use of any iniiative. |
Here's an extended interpretation of the connectives, including all the connectives with the substitution of "Use-AI" and "No-AI":
These interpretations provide a perspective on how the connectives can be understood in the context of "Use-AI" and "No-AI." It's important to note that the specific implications and interpretations may vary depending on the context, arguments, and considerations surrounding the use of AI. Please keep in mind that these interpretations are based on a general understanding of the connectives and the substitution of "Use-AI" and "No-AI." The actual implications and meanings can be more nuanced and context-dependent in real-world discussions and debates. |
Here's an extended interpretation of the connectives, including all the connectives with the substitution of "Pro" and "Con":
|
As discussed in the presentation of the earlier stages of the interaction with ChatGPT, the associated issues are separately summarized in Comparable Modalities of Aesthetics, Logic and Dialogue -- In the light of correspondences between their polyhedral representation (2021) with the following sections, variously interrelated:
The fundamental concern was how to render comprehensible the coherence of the set of possible connectives -- logical or emotional -- given the relative obscure notations employed by the disciplines preoccupied with the distinctions made. As shown reproduced below, one exercise presented there adapted the mapping of 14 of the distinctions into polyhedra by Lorenz Demey and Hans Smessaert:
The distinctions represented in the form of Venn diagrams are the work of Tilman Piesk (reproduced from Wikipedia) have been mapped in a corresponding manner onto a cuboctahedron (below right), as extensively discussed previously. This rotates in synchrony with that on the left. The central animation is the dual of the cuboctahedron with the distinct connectives then necessarily associated with vertexes rather than faces.
Animations of 3D visualization of propositional connectives (combining printed images by Demey and Smessaert) |
||
Mapped onto cuboctahedron (12 vertices, 14 faces -- faces solid) |
Mapped onto rhombic dodecahedron (14 vertices, 12 faces -- faces transparent) |
Venn diagram of logical connectives mapped onto cuboctahedron |
Animations prepared using Stella Polyhedron Navigator |
Whilst such mappings in 3D suggest the potential coherence of the full range of logical connectives in discourse, there is a major challenge to rendering them comprehensible as they may play out in public discourse on a controversial issue. Highlighting those most readily recognized and frequently used is clearly desirable. Given the possibility of real-time analysis of discourse, such mapping could be rendered even more dynamic. There is for example the possibility that a smartphone app could record a discussion and map the use of connectives in play in the course of that interaction -- whether in the case of a small group or a legislative assembly.
The most helpfully extensive presentation of the array of distinct connectives in comprehensible form appears to be that of Maarten van Wijk (English language lexicalisations of all 16 connectives, Universiteit Leiden, 2006). An adaptation is reproduced below left from the earlier presentation.
Tentative distinction of 16 logical connectives as potentially applicable to the challenging governance discourse of the pandemic and climate change (frequency attributions in the right hand column are highly suspect, as noted below) |
||||
Adaptation of the articulation of Maarten van Wijk (to whom apologies) |
Adaptation to discourse relating to the pandemic challenge |
Adaptation to discourse relating to climate change |
Conventional logical notation (red=high frequency of use; green=moderate; blue=low) |
|
1 | Tiger is coming, and I brought a spear | Virus is coming, and I got a jab | Climate change is coming, and I acted now | 1100 A AND B |
2 | Tiger is coming, but I did not bring a spear | Virus is coming, but I did not get a jab | Climate change is coming, but I did not act now | 1010 A BUT NOT B |
3 | Tiger is not coming, and I brought a spear | Virus is not coming, and I get a jab | Climate change is not coming, and I act now | 0110 NOT A AND B |
4 | Neither is tiger coming, nor did I bring a spear | Neither is virus coming, nor did I get a jab | Neither is climate change coming, nor do I act now | 0000 NOT A AND NOT B |
5 | Tiger is coming, and maybe I brought a spear | Virus is coming, and maybe I get a jab | Climate change is coming, and maybe I act now | 0101 A AND (A OR B) |
6 | Maybe tiger is coming, and I brought a spear | Maybe virus is coming, and I get a jab | Maybe climate change is coming, and I act now |
1001 (A OR B) AND B |
7 | I bring a spear if and only if tiger is coming | I get a jab if and only if virus is coming | I act now if and only if climate change is coming | 0011 A IFF B |
8 | I never have a spear when tiger is coming and when I have one it won't come | I never get a jab when virus is coming and when I have one it won't come | I never act now when climate change is coming and when I act it won't come | 1111 NOT (A AND B) AND NOT (A AND NOT B) |
9 | Tiger is not coming, and maybe I brought a spear | Virus is not coming, and maybe I get a jab | Climate change is not coming, and maybe I act now | 0111 NOT A AND (A OR B) |
10 | Maybe tiger is coming, and I did not bring a spear | Maybe virus is coming, and I did not get a jab | Maybe climate change is coming, and I did not act now | 1000 (A OR B) AND NOT B |
11 | Tiger is coming, or I have a spear | Virus is coming, or I got a jab | Climate change is coming, or I act now | 1101 A OR B |
12 | If I have a spear, then tiger is coming | If I get a jab, then virus is coming | If I act now, then climate change is coming | 1011 B IMPLY A |
13 | If tiger is coming then I have a spear | If virus is coming then I get a jab | If climate change is coming then I act now | 1110 A IMPLY B |
14 | It is not true that tiger is coming and I have a spear | It is not true that virus is coming and I get a jab | It is not true that climate change is coming and I act now | 0010 NOT (A AND B) |
15 | Whether tiger is coming or not, either I have a spear or I do not (always true) | Whether virus is coming or not, either I get a jab or I do not (always true) | Whether climate change is coming or not, either I act now or I do not (always true) | 0100 A OR NOT A |
16 | Whether tiger is coming or not, I have a spear and I do not have a spear (always false) | Whether virus is coming or not, I get a jab and I do not (always false) |
Whether climate change is coming or not, I act now and I do not (always false) | 0001 A AND NOT A |
NB: As clarified above, the set of 16 connectives is conventionally reduced to 14, |
Missing from the table (as previously presented) was the ability to relate it specifically and meaningfully to the 3D mappings above -- despite the implied significance for public discourse on controversial global issues. It is appropriate to note that in a lengthy interaction with ChatGPT on this matter, it was surprising to detect the errors repeatedly made in the response -- immediately acknowledged and corrected when challenged.
The right-hand column in the revised table (above) results from the submission of the contents of the left-hand column to ChatGPT with the request to indicate the binary and conventional notations for each connective -- as well as the frequency of their use in discourse. ChatGPT added cautionary comments to the effect that the binary notation may not perfectly match the conventional statements due to variations in interpretation and expression. Similarly although the conventional notations capture the general meaning of the connectives in relation to the provided statements, there may be variations in notation conventions across different contexts. The categorization of frequency may vary based on the context and specific domain of discourse; the categorization provided here is a general representation and should be interpreted as such.
Problematic responses from ChatGPT: In the effort to reconcile frequency of use in discourse with the articulation of 14 or 16 connectives, ChatGPT repeatedly offered alternative listings (some with obvious errors), duly challenged, and reformulated (with "apologies"). With respect to frequency, high frequency occurrence of connectives was indicated in some responses as 6, 4 or 2. This suggests a fundamental difficulty of ChatGPT in this regard. When questioned about this specifically, notably as to why 1100 and 1010 featured in one low frequency cluster when they are seemingly the most evident in discourse (and why 0000 featured incorrectly in one high frequency clustering of 14 connectives), ChatGPT responded:
The clustering of logical connectives based on frequency can vary depending on the context and domain of discourse. While certain connectives like "A" and "B" (represented by 1100 and 1010) may be commonly used in everyday language, the clustering based on frequency refers to their specific combination as connectives in logical expressions. In the given context, where the connectives are considered in their logical sense rather than their individual occurrence, the high-frequency cluster comprises connectives that are more frequently used in logical reasoning and discourse. The low-frequency cluster includes connectives that are less commonly used or have more specialized applications. It's important to note that the frequency-based clustering is not necessarily a reflection of the overall frequency of individual terms like "A" or "B" in everyday language usage. Instead, it relates to the frequency of usage of specific connectives formed by combining these terms in logical expressions. I apologize for any confusion caused by the discrepancy between everyday language usage and the frequency clustering based on logical connectives.
From this it is necessary to conclude, unfortunately, that the attributions in the right hand column are highly suspect (compounded by the ignorance of the writer, and the preferences for a variety of notations in the professional literature). The uncertainty in this regard is of interest in its own right, given the importance widely accorded to public discourse and dialogue.
Distinguishing possibilities of richer discourse: The intention of the exercise had been to demonstrate how public discourse is currently characterized by a limited number of connectives in relation to a more comprehensive set variously understood (or not) in particular modes of interaction. Using the mapping above onto the 14 faces of a cuboctahedron, it could then be assumed (for purposes of illustration) that discourse might be visualized as follows in terms of usage (omitting questionable indications of distinctions by frequency). That on the left implies dialogue of a higher order in contrast with the relatively impoverished form on the right. Unfortunately it proved impossible to distinguish connectives to the faces with any certainity -- in terms of frequency of occurrence in discourse (as explained above).
Animations indicative of dialogue with use of logical connectives of different frequency (assuming 2 high frequency connectives, 4 moderate frequency, 8 lower frequency) |
||
high, moderate and low | high and moderate only | high alone |
Variants of the above folding between 2D and 3D | ||
Polarized discourse: Given the degree to which public discourse is widely deprecated as "polarized" (as suggested by the animations on the right above), the indications above of richer possibilities (left and center) could be understood as unrelated to the perceived reality. The polarized modality might then be more appropriately represented in the following "skeletal" form, highlighting the probability of only "pro" (yes) and "con" (no) articulations, variously charged as "positive" or "negative", "right" or "wrong", or even "good" or "evil" -- and with minimal understanding of the relation between them. It is appropriate to recall that each "side" reciprocates any attribution of "negative", "wrong" or "evil" by the other.
Animations indicative of polarized discourse (assuming only 2 connectives) |
|
Animations prepared using Stella Polyhedron Navigator |
Traditional references of potential relevance: The relationship between polarized discourse and richer possibilities could be understood as implied by the widely cited taoist tale of Chuang Tzu: When the wise man grasps this pivot, he is in the center of the circle, and there he stands while "Yes" and "No" pursue each other around the circumference (The Pivot). Somewhat curiously the pivot metaphor, understood otherwise, is now well-recognized in strategic thinking (Graeme Dobell, The Purposes of the Pacific Pivot, The Strategist, 3 December 2018; Rory McDonald and Robert Bremner, When It’s Time to Pivot, What’s Your Story?, Harvard Business Review, September-October 2020; Rong Chen, A Critical Analysis of the U.S. "Pivot" toward the Asia-Pacific: How Realistic is Neo-realism? Connections, 12, 2013, 3; C. Raja Mohan, AUKUS, the Quad, and India’s Strategic Pivot, Foreign Policy, 23 September 2021).
The distinction of a set of 4 modalities of moderate frequency, together with a set of 8 modalities of lower frequency, merits exploration in terms of the cognitive significance variously associated with the 4-fold and the 8-fold -- in contrast with the 2-fold as characteristic of "binary thinking". Ironically this offers the unexpected suggestion that "higher quality dialogue" may well be associated primarily with either 4-fold or 8-fold patterns of connectives (or both) -- under circumsntaces to be clarified. The cuboctahedral patterns below offer some sense of these alternatives. The 8-fold possibility recalls the value associated with various understandings of the subtlety of an "8-fold way" in policy analysis and otherwise.
Animations potentially indicative of dialogue of higher quality? | |||
4-fold pattern of connectives | 8-fold pattern of connectives | ||
Using the assumed 2, 4 and 8-fold frequency assumption, the cuboctahedral animations then suggest the values of confronting Western logical mappings with the more complex Eastern mapping of binary coding, namely the I Ching with its pattern 64 hexagrams -- namely 8x8 trigrams (Enhancing the Quality of Knowing through Integration of East-West metaphors, 2000). It was the Chinese pattern of trigrams which reinforced the original initiative of Gottfried Leibnitz. The well-known set of 8 trigrams could then be mapped onto the 8 triangular faces of the cuboctahedron. The 4 bigrams of that system could be mapped onto the 4 "moderate frequency" square faces; the singular yin and yang codes could be positioned on the remaining 2 square faces (suggested as indicative of the primary polarization).
Animations of indicative mapping of traditional I Ching binary coding onto cuboctahedron | ||
2 conditions (yin-yang) | 4 conditions | 8 conditions (trigrams) |
With respect to the dynamics within the configuration, the exercise can be taken further by recognizing that the conventional four-bit binary coding of 16 connectives corresponds to the four lines of a tetragram, discussed previously (Variety of "ways of looking" -- binary or otherwise, 2021). The four-bit code (and the tetragram) then represent only one quarter of the larger array of 64 distinctions encoded by the I Ching hexagrams. However the three lower lines of the hexagram (and of the tetragram) can be recognized as the traditional trigram. The set of 8 such trigrams -- the BaGua -- is traditionally configured in two ways, with which there are many metaphorical connotations -- in contrast to the surprising total paucity of mnemonic clues to the pattern of logical connectives.
The 8-fold BaGua pattern is traditionally associated mnemonically with conditions of nature, suggesting a degree of relevance to current global strategic preoccupations with climate change -- a relationship specifically suggested in the table above with regard to the 16 logical connectives. With the focus in this exercise on polarized discourse, of some interest is the manner in which four trigrams feature on the South Korean flag in continuing negotiation with North Korea. The argument is however relevant to the polarized negotiations of Russia-Ukraine, USA-China, and Israel-Palestine, for example.
Of further relevance to enabling higher quality dialogue is the extent to which metaphor is explicitly associated with the tetragram encoding of the Tao Te Ching and of the T'ai Hsüan Ching (Tài Xuán Jing). Such metaphor is evident in the effort to associate a comprehensive integrative engagement with features of familiar experience by which global governance is notably challenged, whether psychosocial relationships, environmental categories ("earth", "air", "fire" and "water"), or especially their interrelationships (Confrontation of alternative mappings, 2012; Cognitive Navigation of the Elements as Indicative Strategic Metaphors, 2023).
As reproduced below, the tetragrams can be presented with the juxtaposition of the relevant Venn diagrams to suggest (in 2D) the nature of possible dynamics between the distinctive pattern of 8 modalities (Configuring the variety of "voices" and dialogue modalities coherently? 2021).
Use of 8-fold BaGua -- with Venn diagrams -- to suggest the resonant dynamic relationships between "voices" | |||
Earlier Heaven (Fuxi) arrangement simple pattern of transformations between trigram "voices" |
Later Heaven (King Wen) arrangement pattern of transformations between trigram "voices" |
||
Upper unbroken line (Environment OK) |
Upper broken line (Environment Not-OK) |
Upper unbroken line (Environment OK) |
Upper broken line (Environment Not-OK) |
Reproduced from Configuring the variety of "voices" and dialogue modalities coherently? (2021). |
Dialogue transformation? The cuboctahedral configuration is associated with various possibilities of its transformation (through "morphing") -- suggesting the possibility of insight into more complex understandings of dialogue, as suggested by the examples below. It is also appropriate to note that the 12 vertices of the configuration invite insight in terms of the long-standing enthusiasm for unexplained 12-fold strategic articulations (Checklist of 12-fold Principles, Plans, Symbols and Concepts: web resources, 2011; Clarifying the Unexplored Dynamics of 12-fold Round tables, 2019; Increasing the dimensionality of the archetypal Round Table? 2018).
Screen shots indicative of potential transformations of dialogue of high order | |||
Topological transformations of 4-fold patterns | Topological transformations of 8-fold patterns | ||
The "exclusion" of the high frequency polarized modalities in favour of those of lower frequency offers a further insight in relation to "unsaying", namely the avoidance of a mode which could be understood as undermining higher quality discourse. Unsaying is a feature of some forms of discourse known as apophasis -- a rhetorical device wherein the speaker or writer brings up a subject by either denying it, or denying that it should be brought up. It is notably cultivated in apophatic theology, otherwise known as negative theology (Michael Anthony Sells, Mystical Languages of Unsaying, University of Chicago Press, 1994). Some implications can be speculatively explored (Lipoproblems: Developing a Strategy Omitting a Key Problem -- the systemic challenge of climate change and resource issues, 2009).
Harold Bloom and Brett Foster. The Sonnets. Infobase Publishing, 2009 [text]
James P. Carse. Finite and Infinite Games; A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility. Free Press, 1986
Timothy Hampton. The Sonnet Machine: a sonnet contains an emotional drama of illusion and deception, crisis and resolution, crafted to make us think and feel. Aeon, 25 May 2023 [text]
Niki Harré. The Infinite Game: How to Live Well Together. Auckland University Press, 2018 [contents]
Hilary Lawson:
William Sharp. The Sonnet: Its Characteristics and History. Sonnets of This Century, 1887 [summary]
Maarten van Wijk. English language lexicalisations of all 16 connectives. Universiteit Leiden, 2006 [text]
Helen Vendler. The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets. Harvard University Press, 1999 [summary]
For further updates on this site, subscribe here |