In my youth, I was interested in the field of artificial intelligence as an avocation. I was fascinated by the idea of using computers to understand human reasoning. I dabbled in programming some models using specialized computer languages (most of which are now mostly relegated to footnotes in computer science books). There was an offshoot of that research called "computer/machine learning". Most of what passes for AI nowadays is fancy machine learning with a little bit of artificial intelligence sprinkled in.
I bring that up to note, which should be absolutely obvious, that computers do not have free will. Even though Gemini (Google foray into the AI marketplace) will say, "Oh! I am so embarrassed about making that mistake! Thank you for pointing that out to me." She isn't embarrassed and she isn't grateful and she really isn't anything but a feminine sounding voice. (There is a long history of using feminine sounding voices. Google it if you are interested. There are two main reasons: (1) Technical: it is easier to make distinct and clear generated speech. (2) Psychological: it feels more approachable and soothing. That is both for male and female listeners.)
Since computers have no free will, the output for any input can always be predicted exactly. The computer programs are complex and they are based on a huge and constantly changing underlying dataset. Nonetheless, completely and absolutely predictable; down to the last bit. Try asking your favorite AI tool how they feel today. You'll get a response something like, "I am just a computer program, so I don't have feelings. I hope you are having a good day. How can I help you?" If the computer doesn't have feelings, then it can't "hope"; right? So I asked about that response, and in conclusion (after some very clever and clear explaining) I got this response:
Think of it like a sophisticated form of mirroring human communication patterns to create a more natural and pleasant interaction.
Now think about all the interactions you have each day. Would you really be able to distinguish between a human and an AI generated response? My point here is that even though we know with clarity and believe without a doubt that the computer generated speech backed by AI models had neither free will nor feelings.... it is quite easy to forget that in your interactions with it.
What about this world? In the view of modern physics, which really began with Newton, we live in a deterministic world. That is, if I know the right parameters (position, velocity, environment) at one time, then I can predict exactly what those parameters will be later. I can also predict what they were before and how they got here. That is, back till the scientist set up the experiment and until he stops it. Everything in the physical world is absolutely and completely deterministic. It is our spiritual side, our נשמה/soul that infuses us from above and gives us the ability to make choices.
The Alter of Novardok had a couple of ways to explain the illusion we have that we can control the physical world through our הִשׁתַדְלוּת/efforts.
- A guest at a Five Star hotel. At dinner time, he goes down to the kitchen, fills a plate, then comes back to the dining room to eat. If he had waited a few moments, the waiter would have brought him the same plate.
- A passenger in a train pushes on the wall of the train to be sure it keeps moving.
They both highlight the futility of הִשׁתַדְלוּת/efforts. Laughable, right? But imagine someone born in that hotel or train. In fact, they and their parents, and their parents' parents, and ... were all born there. Could you convince them that their הִשׁתַדְלוּת/efforts is all unnecessary and in vain?
Why don't you discuss that with Gemini or ChatGPT or Copilot or whatever your favorite AI tool is. As you are having the "conversation", try to remind yourself that it isn't a conversation.
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