Sessions with the AI Perplexity

TidBITS Talk
1

Here are the protocols of my two sessions with the AI Perplexity where I asked “What is the logical content of “Since it rains the street is wet”?”.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what-is-the-logical-content-of-4eJ8kvx8RYWLGVVtKTkNFA#0

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/i-am-sorry-but-your-answer-is-jH6ad67hThSQLhhpaZrvhA#0

Some comments.

1. Like in ChatGPT the answers are extremely verbose and repetitive, limiting their usefulness.

2. The answers remind me of a situation that I – having taught at universities – recall well: not too bright students try to impress the examiner by eagerly telling all the material that they have learned by heart.

3. Answers could be incomplete or even false.

2

Any reason why you posted the followup in a second chat? rather than as a continuation of the first so it had the context of the incomplete answer?

I added “Keep it succinct with bullet points”

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what-is-the-logical-content-of-rP436Rp5QGKNWEvFHu0DTw#0

  • The statement expresses a conditional relation between two propositions:

    • p: It rains.
    • q: The street is wet.

  • Logically, it can be formalized as p → q.

  • It asserts that rain is a sufficient condition for the street being wet.

  • It does not claim that rain is the only cause of the street being wet.

  • The phrase “Since it rains” indicates causal direction from rain to wetness, not merely correlation.

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