Hi all, Chatbot has not quoted or analyzed the passage from Carnap. The first sentence is wrong. Chatbot can twist phrases together from different sources in order to answer the prompt. I apologize for this second post.
Mary On 9/22/25, 12:51 PM, "Mary Libertin" <[email protected]> wrote: Hi Jerry and all, The passage is from: "The full quote is from Rudolf Carnap's 1932 article "The Elimination of Metaphysics Through Logical Analysis of Language". In it, he states: "The opinion that metaphysics is to be largely cleared up by the application of the theory of signs is, I believe, the fundamental position of all those who call themselves 'Logical Positivists'". He immediately follows this by clarifying the true import of their logical analysis. "This statement is a core part of the logical positivist project, which the Vienna Circle pursued in the 1920s and 1930s. “ I found it by copying and pasting the quote into my safari search bar. I used the technique to check for plagiarism in students’ papers as soon as the google search was available. I would find the passage most out of context, or stylistically different, and check it out. Many students were not plagiarizing among those I checked, but most were plagiarized. Some plagiarized only sentences, which should be paraphrased. Others plagiarized paragraphs. I couldn’t check papers that could have been written for them. Since I couldn’t prove it, I would grade the essay they purchased, and have a conference with them. I retired in 2016. Now chatbot is doing something worse, in my opinion. It does not give accurate sources, when it gives sources at all. Best, Mary Liberti On Sep 22, 2025, at 12:21 PM, Jerry Rhee <[email protected]> wrote: Hi everyone, I was messing around with ChatGPT and when I asked if it were familiar with CP 5.189, it responded with this: "The opinion that metaphysics is to be largely cleared up by the application of the theory of signs is, I believe, correct. But I do not think, as the Germans and their American followers seem to do, that metaphysics is to be settled off-hand by drawing a few definitions and then 'going to sleep.' Metaphysical questions are questions which the mind naturally asks, and which it is stimulated to ask by the very development of reasoning." Now, as far as products of AI systems go, I think this is a very important contribution, especially in light of the fact that we all know what the traditional meaning of 'sleep' is in philosophy. I mean, what are we, stupid? In any case, recognizing that the quote is not quoted correctly, the statement still sounds very much like what Peirce would say. May I request a scholar on this list to provide an actual reference or something resembling it from his published/manuscript material, please? Thank you kindly. Best, jerry r _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to [email protected] . ► <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=SIG%20peirce-l";>UNSUBSCRIBE FROM PEIRCE-L</a> . But, if your subscribed email account is not your default email account, then go to https://list.iu.edu/sympa/signoff/peirce-l . ► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP; moderated by Gary Richmond; and co-managed by him and Ben Udell.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ► PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to [email protected] . ► <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=SIG%20peirce-l";>UNSUBSCRIBE FROM PEIRCE-L</a> . But, if your subscribed email account is not your default email account, then go to https://list.iu.edu/sympa/signoff/peirce-l . ► PEIRCE-L is owned by THE PEIRCE GROUP; moderated by Gary Richmond; and co-managed by him and Ben Udell.
