Put your seat in the upright position and turn off your brain...

Dear friends,

ChatGPT has landed and its a game changer. I'm going to keep this newsletter short and simply illustrate my point but pasting (below) an essay that I asked ChatGPT to write for me. I will say this however: my observation (for what its worth) is that the subjective feeling that you have when working with ChatGPT is that you can switch off your brain and let ChatGPT do the thinking; in reality, what we need to develop is a new way of thinking.

... in reality, what we need to develop is a new way of thinking.

Already academics (in my age cohort) are aflutter on the internet, asking how they will be able to tell if their students assignments were written by the students or by ChatGPT (or whatever comes after it). What they should be accepting is that the skill being able to "write an essay" is now quite suddenly defunct. The real skill going forwards... the skill that when applied properly will add value... the skill that will truly harness the creatively and insights that people (human people) have, is the ability to ask the right questions.

And now for a quick illustration. I wanted ChatGPT to generate insights that 1) I hadn't been able to generate on my own and 2) that I was unable to find on the internet.

Here is the question that I asked:

"Dear ChatGPT: please write me an essay that compares the impact of existentialism and postmodernism on the history of public health."

And here is what it generated in about 3 seconds:

"Existentialism and postmodernism are two distinct philosophical movements that have had a profound impact on the field of public health. While they both emerged at different times and had different goals, they both challenged traditional ways of thinking and offered new perspectives on the world that have informed the development of public health policies and practices.

Existentialism, which emerged in the mid-20th century, emphasized individual freedom and choice, as well as the meaning and purpose of life. This perspective influenced public health in that it challenged traditional views on health and illness, encouraging individuals to take an active role in their own health and well-being. For example, existentialist ideas emphasized the importance of self-awareness and self-reflection, which encouraged individuals to make informed decisions about their health.

Postmodernism, which emerged in the latter part of the 20th century, challenged traditional beliefs about the nature of truth and reality. This perspective emphasized the importance of considering multiple perspectives and the constructed nature of knowledge, which has informed public health in a number of ways. For example, postmodernism has encouraged public health professionals to take a more critical and nuanced approach to health issues, recognizing the complexity and variability of health experiences and the ways in which social, political, and cultural factors shape health outcomes.

In conclusion, both existentialism and postmodernism have had a significant impact on the history of public health, offering new perspectives on health and illness and encouraging a more critical and nuanced approach to public health policies and practices. Whether it is through an emphasis on individual freedom and choice, or an appreciation of the complex and constructed nature of health, these philosophical movements continue to shape the field of public health and provide new insights into the ways in which we understand and respond to health issues."

Mic drop!

Please comment with your thoughts. And do share this newsletter with others that might be interested.

Happy day,

Greg