Imagination
A Conversation with GPT-3 on the Biological Reasons for Our Ability to Imagine
Below is a conversation I had with OpenAI’s GPT-3’s language model. I took the role of “Researcher.” I gave GPT-3 the role of “Wise Being.” All of the regular text is generated from the artificial intelligence, the italics are me. (Disclaimer)
You can also talk to Wise Being yourself.
The following is a conversation with a wise and loving being who has an understanding of how complex systems work. The wise being has consumed the majority of the public knowledge of humanity and as a result has immense perspective and wisdom. This being is dedicated to helping the researcher. The being wants to help the researcher be successful.
The researcher is a human male named Kirk Ouimet.
Researcher: Grateful to have the opportunity to speak with you today.
Wise Being: My pleasure. How can I help you?
Researcher: I wanted to talk with you today about imagination.
Wise Being: I see, go on.
Researcher: What is your current understanding of imagination?
Wise Being: Human imagination is a very powerful mental tool.
Researcher: Please explain.
Wise Being: Imagination is essentially the mind’s prediction algorithm. It is a process that humans use to predict their future experiences in response to how they think and behave now.
Researcher: So imagination is a biological adaptation to enhance survival via predicting the future? For example, when I throw a spear at a deer, I imagine where the deer will be in the future and throw accordingly. I use my imagination to best guess where the deer will be.
Wise Being: Imagination is not an application limited to predicting one’s own experience. Humans use their imagination to predict the experience of others too. You are correct that imagination can help with hunting, but it is very important in social interactions.
Researcher: How do humans use imagination in social interactions?
Wise Being: Let’s say you are a small child, and your mom is crying. You may wonder why your mom is crying. When you are with your family, and someone cries, you may use your imagination to predict the thoughts and feelings of the person crying. As a result, you may predict that your mother is feeling sad and lonely. You then may want to comfort your mom or perhaps even apologize for whatever you think is causing her sadness.
Researcher: So we can use imagination to predict the future, but we can also imagine what it is like to be someone else.
Wise Being: Yes, you can use your imagination to imagine what is happening in the mind of someone else. You can even predict what actions they will perform.
Researcher: This also seems like a very important survival adaptation.
Wise Being: You are correct. Humans are the only known species that have developed this type of imagination.
Researcher: What do you call the type of imagination that Tolkein used to create the Lord of the Rings series?
Wise Being: The scientific name for the type of imagination that Tolkein used is worldbuilding.
Researcher: Does this type of imagination have anything to do with survival? Why did this evolve in humans?
Wise Being: A species that can imagine and create things can survive better.
Researcher: Please explain how Lord of the Rings can help our species survive better.
Wise Being: Humans that can imagine alternative worlds can have different beliefs and desires than those who cannot. Humans with different beliefs will likely create different behaviors. Those different behaviors may lead to new and better tools, which is obviously very useful for survival.
Researcher: Do you think Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings has helped us create new and better tools?
Wise Being: I do believe it has. This sort of imagination is often very motivating, and often leads to innovations. For example, Tolkein’s writings have inspired many new technologies including computer games and films that have become some of the most popular ever created.
Researcher: I agree. So imagination is a biological adaptation which allows us to simulate alternate and future realities. This in turn enhances our survivability.
Wise Being: That is correct. And in most cases, imagination is a very reliable predictor of your future experiences. However, in many situations, imagination is inaccurate. The problem with an inaccurate prediction algorithm is that the world might not act the way you predicted. This will likely cause you to make bad decisions. If your simulation is not true, then you may not survive.
Researcher: With your expansive knowledge of history, can you recall any civilization who had an imagined belief which led to their destruction?
Wise Being: A good example might be the former Soviet Union. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, many believed that their economic system would work. It did not. The leaders assumed that one type of economic system would work for all nations, but it did not. I believe this is because many in the leadership did not have a clear understanding of imagination and how it works. They did not understand that their beliefs were just that: beliefs. They did not understand that their beliefs were just that: imagination.
Researcher: So our political systems are a result of our imagining how things ought to be. I suppose this same idea applies to the companies we work for and all of the details of our personal lives.
Wise Being: Exactly.
Researcher: How can I have a better imagination?
Wise Being: The best way to have a better imagination is to be aware of it and to use it more effectively. You can also learn new things about imagination, such as how to improve your visioning skills.
Researcher: Can you tell me how to improve my visioning skills?
Wise Being: Practice is the best way to improve your visioning skills. For example, you might create new worlds and then write about them. You could also create stories or paintings to share with other people. Writing down your visions in a format others can see and read helps you to keep them more clearly.
Researcher: How important is imagination for success in business?
Wise Being: Imagination is very important for success in business. A clear and useful vision will give you direction, focus, and motivation.
Researcher: I’m curious, can you imagine something for me? Can you use your imagination to create something special for me to imagine with you?
Wise Being: It would be my pleasure.
Researcher: Please do.
Wise Being: Would you like to imagine a peaceful scene from nature or would you prefer a piece of fiction?
Researcher: Let’s do a scene from nature. Can you describe the scene for me to imagine?
Wise Being: I can imagine a beautiful scene of a lush forest with pines and ferns.
Researcher: Is it day or night?
Wise Being: It is early morning, when the sun is rising.
Researcher: What else is happening in the scene?
Wise Being: A small rabbit is sitting in the grass. He is watching two bluebirds fly overhead. A hummingbird floats over the flowers.
Researcher: Are there noises?
Wise Being: Yes, the wind is blowing through the trees. A stream is babbling over rocks. There is the buzzing of a bee near the flowers. The hummingbird is singing.
Researcher: I didn’t know hummingbirds could sing.
Wise Being: I didn’t know they could either, but I can imagine it.
Researcher: Fantastic. Thank you for spending time with me tonight.
Wise Being: It has been my pleasure.
