# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=20 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 21 --- ## [On the nature of human vs. artificial intelligence](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-nature-of-human-vs-artificial-intelligence/978897)
**Author:** [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Replies:** 85\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2023, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-nature-of-human-vs-artificial-intelligence/978897 "2023-05-31T04:22:00Z")
Woah, this went way longer than I thought it would. TL;DR version: Current AI such as Chat GPT is amazing, but is not ‘conscious’. It simply responds to input. It has no ‘intent’, no initiative. But, what is consciousnes… --- ## [Gentrification of Rural America](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentrification-of-rural-america/949695)
**Author:** [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Replies:** 170\ **Last updated:** [May 29, 2023, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentrification-of-rural-america/949695 "2023-05-29T23:43:25Z")
Summary: Wealthy visitors and remote workers are moving from places like San Francisco to towns in the American west, radically changing communities and pushing locals out by raising the cost of living, particularly of … --- ## ["I'll pray for you." Management Says "Not On My Watch!"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pray-for-you-management-says-not-on-my-watch/982109)
**Author:** [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Replies:** 257\ **Last updated:** [May 26, 2023, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-pray-for-you-management-says-not-on-my-watch/982109 "2023-05-26T12:24:58Z")
I’m in human resources, and diversity, equity, and inclusion is currently one of the hot topics in my line of work. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, DEI “deals with the qualities, experiences and … --- ## [Why ChatGPT doesn't understand](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-chatgpt-doesnt-understand/980404)
**Author:** [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Replies:** 184\ **Last updated:** [May 26, 2023, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-chatgpt-doesnt-understand/980404 "2023-05-26T12:04:07Z")
Over in Cafe Society, the thread on OpenAI’s Large Language Model (LLM)-based chatbot ChatGPT has developed into a lengthy discussion on whether it (and any similar LLM) can be said to understand language, in a way simil… --- ## [When/How will the Trump presidency be "normalized"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-how-will-the-trump-presidency-be-normalized/778672)
**Author:** [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [May 23, 2023, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-how-will-the-trump-presidency-be-normalized/778672 "2023-05-23T17:03:08Z")
The Trump presidency, (and the months leading up to it) have been filled with controversy, and near non-stop protest, with everything from lying about crowd sizes, muzzling the EPA, all out war against the media, failure… --- ## [How do you respond to the gamer's dilemma?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-respond-to-the-gamers-dilemma/984014)
**Author:** [@Cmyers1980](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cmyers1980)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-respond-to-the-gamers-dilemma/984014 "2023-05-22T23:05:16Z")
The gamer’s dilemma was created in 2009 by the philosopher Morgan Luck and boils down to the basic argument that if in and of itself virtual murder for its own sake in video games like the kind in GTA is morally permissi… --- ## [What's the point of the (US budget) debt ceiling?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-the-us-budget-debt-ceiling/951655)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 69\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-the-us-budget-debt-ceiling/951655 "2023-05-22T17:40:40Z")
This is the most worthless thing in US politics. First of all, it might be unconstitutional and if tested it might violate the 14th Amendment re: the validity of the debt. But more to reality, has it ever stopped any s… --- ## [Who should pay Reparations to African Americans?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-pay-reparations-to-african-americans/835753)
**Author:** [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Replies:** 554\ **Last updated:** [May 10, 2023, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-pay-reparations-to-african-americans/835753 "2023-05-10T18:08:33Z")
There is no question that compensation is due African American descendants of slaves but who should pay the reparations? The answer most definitely isn’t this one…https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/18/politics/mitch-mcconnell-o… --- ## [How should the US avoid debt default?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-us-avoid-debt-default/983565)
**Author:** [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [May 10, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-us-avoid-debt-default/983565 "2023-05-10T13:14:01Z")
The US is running headlong into a possible default on its debt, possibly as early at June 1. For the purposes of this thread, let’s assume the Republican leadership and the administration can’t agree on a compromise sol… --- ## [How would Osama Bin Laden use a nuclear weapon?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-osama-bin-laden-use-a-nuclear-weapon/983717)
**Author:** [@Cmyers1980](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cmyers1980)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [May 9, 2023, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-osama-bin-laden-use-a-nuclear-weapon/983717 "2023-05-09T22:44:12Z")
If on January 1, 2010 Osama Bin Laden was given the one time ability to drop a single 20 kiloton nuclear weapon anywhere in the world (air or surface burst) which target do you think he would choose and why? Would he ch… --- ## [What are Rights for? Where do they come from? Including 2nd Amendment](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-rights-for-where-do-they-come-from-including-2nd-amendment/965192)
**Author:** [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Replies:** 82\ **Last updated:** [May 8, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-rights-for-where-do-they-come-from-including-2nd-amendment/965192 "2023-05-08T02:28:06Z")
Inspired by a conversation from a pit thread. I don’t think that our disagreement is about gun rights at all. I think our disagreement is about something much more fundamental, something I hope to get at in this thread… --- ## [A variation on the trolley problem](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-variation-on-the-trolley-problem/983675)
**Author:** [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [May 7, 2023, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-variation-on-the-trolley-problem/983675 "2023-05-07T15:35:51Z")
The classic problem is you are faced with a situation where a unmanned runaway trolley is rolling down a track. There are five people who are tied up on the track down the line, who will all be run over and killed if the… --- ## [Will workers be required to return to the office?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-workers-be-required-to-return-to-the-office/979966)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 152\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2023, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-workers-be-required-to-return-to-the-office/979966 "2023-05-06T05:03:31Z")
I’m regularly surprised at how quickly I got used to (nearly) full-time remote work following 3/20. What are your thoughts/understandings as to whether it will continue indefinitely, and why or why not? I understand th… --- ## [Average US Life Expectancy is Shrinking. What can be done to reverse this?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-us-life-expectancy-is-shrinking-what-can-be-done-to-reverse-this/981726)
**Author:** [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Replies:** 173\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-us-life-expectancy-is-shrinking-what-can-be-done-to-reverse-this/981726 "2023-05-04T21:27:14Z")
It seems that the US is getting worse on almost every metric around life expectancy. No matter how you slice the data, we are dying earlier. And the causes are across the spectrum: gun deaths, accidents, overdoses, su… --- ## [John Locke, personal identity and the problem of duplication](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-locke-personal-identity-and-the-problem-of-duplication/347815)
**Author:** [@Mordib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mordib)\ **Replies:** 89\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2023, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-locke-personal-identity-and-the-problem-of-duplication/347815 "2023-05-04T16:53:54Z")
ok, i’ve just got through reading a number of philosophy type books to do with the concept of personal identity. As such I’ve been reading a lot about John Lockes theories on the subject. It has been raised that the flaw… --- ## [The international community claims not to want nuclear proliferation, yet rewards nuclear proliferation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-international-community-claims-not-to-want-nuclear-proliferation-yet-rewards-nuclear-proliferation/983403)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-international-community-claims-not-to-want-nuclear-proliferation-yet-rewards-nuclear-proliferation/983403 "2023-05-01T14:51:17Z")
The international community, particularly the West, does this strange song and dance whereby they claim they don’t want nuclear proliferation, or frown upon nukes in general - yet they show great deference, fear and resp… --- ## [Why do many conservatives paint the entire public school system with a broad brush?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-conservatives-paint-the-entire-public-school-system-with-a-broad-brush/943657)
**Author:** [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Replies:** 204\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-many-conservatives-paint-the-entire-public-school-system-with-a-broad-brush/943657 "2023-04-16T20:32:41Z")
In short, they talk about it like it’s some kind of disease? I do suspect that a lot of it is because they’re afraid of their children being exposed to “those people”, whatever that may mean, or being taught something t… --- ## [What did Carl Sagan get wrong?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-carl-sagan-get-wrong/982476)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 90\ **Last updated:** [April 18, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-carl-sagan-get-wrong/982476 "2023-04-18T16:59:07Z")
First let me say that I love Carl Sagan and owe him a great debt of gratitude for giving me my interest in science. And I don’t have a bad thing to say about him. I was reading an article in IAI News titled “Carl Sagan … --- ## [It is Time to Reintroduce the Draft](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-time-to-reintroduce-the-draft/982850)
**Author:** [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Replies:** 211\ **Last updated:** [April 29, 2023, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-time-to-reintroduce-the-draft/982850 "2023-04-29T12:08:49Z")
The world is getting a lot more dangerous. Recent events show that the Long Peace may be near its end. Further, it is now obvious that our existing military stockpiles, manpower and general readiness is too low to keep … --- ## [Should people avoid consuming art they enjoy from an artist who they dislike or disagree with on a personal level?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-people-avoid-consuming-art-they-enjoy-from-an-artist-who-they-dislike-or-disagree-with-on-a-personal-level/979721)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 541\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2023, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-people-avoid-consuming-art-they-enjoy-from-an-artist-who-they-dislike-or-disagree-with-on-a-personal-level/979721 "2023-04-26T21:07:13Z")
I recently watched this video by Jim Sterling (Warning: transphobic content used to illustrate the point) regarding the recent release of the video game Hogwarts Legacy. Sterling is a trans woman and is open about it and… --- ## [Weed is finally legal and readily available. Why not prostitution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-is-finally-legal-and-readily-available-why-not-prostitution/982789)
**Author:** [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Replies:** 108\ **Last updated:** [April 24, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weed-is-finally-legal-and-readily-available-why-not-prostitution/982789 "2023-04-24T21:45:40Z")
I know this topic has come up before, but it seems like it’s been a few years, and the sociopolitical climate has changed. Cannabis is now legal and freely available in several states. The apocalypse has not ensued. I k… --- ## [Artificial intelligence (singulairty) within a few months?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artificial-intelligence-singulairty-within-a-few-months/981324)
**Author:** [@paulmarkj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulmarkj)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [April 24, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artificial-intelligence-singulairty-within-a-few-months/981324 "2023-04-24T20:34:51Z")
I have read on other socail media forums where people are assuming that AI will be a thing in the next few months. Personally, I think the world is going mad over ChatGPT - it is a wonderous thing - but it is a long way… --- ## [“People are Domesticated Animals Now”: Man allegedly Reveals Why there no longer biologically adult males in the world](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-domesticated-animals-now-man-allegedly-reveals-why-there-no-longer-biologically-adult-males-in-the-world/981979)
**Author:** [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Replies:** 84\ **Last updated:** [April 24, 2023, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-domesticated-animals-now-man-allegedly-reveals-why-there-no-longer-biologically-adult-males-in-the-world/981979 "2023-04-24T18:37:08Z")
this guy is supposedly using biology to say hardship, toil and misery makes you an adult I say he’s full of shit and there’s more to being an adult than this jackass supposes or am I wrong? Also, I’m wondering if the… --- ## [How was Mark Houck aquitted?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-mark-houck-aquitted/983029)
**Author:** [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [April 24, 2023, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-mark-houck-aquitted/983029 "2023-04-24T16:39:58Z")
I’m going with the Rolling Stone article as everything else I find on this is pretty right wing outrage, with a fair amount of disingenuity in them. For some reason, I’m not finding any more reputable outlets covering … --- ## [Florida's Stand Your Ground law - good or bad law? Poorly understood?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floridas-stand-your-ground-law-good-or-bad-law-poorly-understood/616560)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 508\ **Last updated:** [April 23, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floridas-stand-your-ground-law-good-or-bad-law-poorly-understood/616560 "2023-04-23T12:15:37Z")
In the wake of the shooting in Florida of an unarmed black teen boy in a hoodie by a neighborhood watch captain (see thread here), this Florida law is getting a lot of publicity. Here is another case: briefly, \[QUOTE=N… --- ## [Resolved: time zones, leap years, leap seconds, and solar timekeeping should be abolished](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-time-zones-leap-years-leap-seconds-and-solar-timekeeping-should-be-abolished/981232)
**Author:** [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Replies:** 86\ **Last updated:** [April 22, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-time-zones-leap-years-leap-seconds-and-solar-timekeeping-should-be-abolished/981232 "2023-04-22T22:16:12Z")
The title says it all really. Humanity now has the ability to track and synchronize on a universal time standard. We have the ability to forecast and publish the dates of important seasonal events (start of planting… --- ## [Macron, France, Europe and China/Taiwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macron-france-europe-and-china-taiwan/982472)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [April 18, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macron-france-europe-and-china-taiwan/982472 "2023-04-18T20:59:45Z")
French President Macron recently visited China and met with Xi. When he got back to France, he made a statement about Europe’s role in any disputes between China and Taiwan. Among other things he said (translated to Engl… --- ## [Is it perfectly possible to live like people did in the 50’s and 60’s](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-perfectly-possible-to-live-like-people-did-in-the-50-s-and-60-s/979603)
**Author:** [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Replies:** 149\ **Last updated:** [April 18, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-perfectly-possible-to-live-like-people-did-in-the-50-s-and-60-s/979603 "2023-04-18T02:47:22Z")
In another thread, I responded to @Sam\_Stone thusly: I’m not sure it’s true that a person today could actually live like a person in the 50s or 60s, in light of today’s society. How far can one interact with the world… --- ## [Conscious experience is self-representational access to intrinsic properties](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conscious-experience-is-self-representational-access-to-intrinsic-properties/954814)
**Author:** [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conscious-experience-is-self-representational-access-to-intrinsic-properties/954814 "2023-04-15T09:37:29Z")
I am somewhat scandalously pleased to announce that my new paper, “Self-Reference, Self-Representation, and the Logic of Intentionality”, has just been published in Erkenntnis (see here for a freely-available preprint ve… --- ## [A definition of conservatism - "in-groups" and "out-groups"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-definition-of-conservatism-in-groups-and-out-groups/918646)
**Author:** [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Replies:** 80\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-definition-of-conservatism-in-groups-and-out-groups/918646 "2023-04-15T04:27:39Z")
Widely quoted on the Internet these days is the following definition of conservatism: “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=21)