A test of ChatGPT

Introduction

I tested ChatGPT today (April 17, 2023). I checked what the ChatGPT Mar 23 Version knew about Robert S. Hartman and his work. Below is an excerpt of ChatGPT’s answers to my questions, together with my comments. The comments are based on my reading of Robert S. Hartman’s two books Freedom to Live and The Structure of Value.

Questions & Answers

Question 1: Who is Robert S. Hartman?

ChatGPT: Robert S. Hartman (1910-1973) was a German-American philosopher and logician, who is best known for his contributions to the field of axiology, which is the study of values. Hartman developed a theory of formal axiology, which is a systematic approach to identifying, analyzing, and measuring values.

Hartman was born in Berlin, Germany, and he immigrated to the United States in 1938 to escape Nazi persecution. He studied at the University of Berlin, where he earned a doctorate in philosophy, and later taught at various universities in the United States, including the University of Chicago, the University of California, and the University of Tennessee.

The first paragraph is correct, the second is not. Hartman left Europe for Mexico in 1938 and didn’t immigrate to the United States until 1941. Hartman did study at the University of Berlin, but also at the University of Paris and the London School of Economics. Hartman earned his doctorate in philosophy at the Northwestern University in 1946.

Question 2: What are the value dimensions in Robert S. Hartman’s formal axiology?

ChatGPT: Robert S. Hartman’s formal axiology proposes that there are three dimensions of value:
1. Goodness: This dimension of value refers to the degree to which something is morally and ethically good or right. It includes values such as justice, kindness, courage, honesty, and responsibility.
2. Beauty: This dimension of value refers to the degree to which something is aesthetically pleasing or harmonious. It includes values such as creativity, elegance, proportion, balance, and simplicity.
3. Truth: This dimension of value refers to the degree to which something is logically consistent and coherent. It includes values such as accuracy, precision, clarity, and coherence.

This is incorrect. The three value dimensions in formal axiology are: 1. Systemic value. 2. Extrinsic value. 3. Intrinsic value.

Question 3: What is “good” according to Robert S. Hartman?

ChatGPT: Robert S. Hartman defined “good” as a dimension of value that refers to the degree to which something is morally and ethically good or right. In his theory of formal axiology, he identified three criteria for evaluating the goodness of an object or action:
1. Quality: This criterion refers to the degree to which an object or action exhibits the characteristics of goodness, such as honesty, justice, kindness, and responsibility.
2. Intensity: This criterion refers to the degree to which an object or action embodies the qualities of goodness. For example, an action that is very kind would have a higher intensity of goodness than an action that is only somewhat kind.
3. Quantity: This criterion refers to the number of objects or actions that embody the qualities of goodness. For example, a society that values justice and equality for all would have a higher quantity of goodness than a society that only values these qualities for a few privileged individuals.

Again, this is incorrect. The definition of “good” in formal axiology is: “A thing is good if it fulfills the intension of its concept” (Hartman, The Structure of Value, p. 103).

Conclusions

ChatGPT confidently produced plausible-sounding but incorrect answers. It’s one thing to produce plausible text, quite another to ensure factual correctness. A more truthful answer from ChatGTP would, for example, have been: “Hartman may have studied at the University of Berlin [true], and may have earned his doctorate there [false].” If all you do is guessing, you’ll get it right sometimes. Giving the impression of truth, without truth, erodes trust.

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