ChatGPT gaslighting people

[Gfamily]

Which cathedral?

Limoges

[sTeamTraen]

Which cathedral?

Limoges

Me: Does Limoges cathedral have an astronomical clock?
ChatGPT ​(after a web search): No, Limoges Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges) does not have an astronomical clock.

Me: What are some features of Limoges Cathedral to look out for?
ChatGPT (among other stuff): Look for the astronomical features on the sundial on the exterior (not to be confused with an astronomical clock — Limoges Cathedral does not have one). (emphasis in original)

Apparently the model is not updated with data that it finds when looking up answers, but maybe it remembered the previous question. Maybe I should ask the second question again on its own in a week or so.

[Woodchopper]

Which cathedral?

Limoges

Me: Does Limoges cathedral have an astronomical clock?
ChatGPT ​(after a web search): No, Limoges Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges) does not have an astronomical clock.

Me: What are some features of Limoges Cathedral to look out for?
ChatGPT (among other stuff): Look for the astronomical features on the sundial on the exterior (not to be confused with an astronomical clock — Limoges Cathedral does not have one). (emphasis in original)

Apparently the model is not updated with data that it finds when looking up answers, but maybe it remembered the previous question. Maybe I should ask the second question again on its own in a week or so.

ChatGPT definitely remembers your last questions and they influence future answers.

[dyqik]

ChatGPT will explain the meaning behind any made up phrase that you give it. Even when there's no meaning whatsoever.

[Woodchopper]

Chomsky came up with the phrase “Colorless green ideas sleep furiously” as an example of something that’s grammatically correct but meaningless.

It is obviously too famous as ChatGPT gave the following output after I typed it in.

The sentence “Colorless green ideas sleep furiously” is famous not for its meaning, but for its structure—and it was coined by linguist Noam Chomsky in 1957 to illustrate a key concept in the study of language.

⸻

Purpose of the Sentence

Chomsky introduced this sentence in his book Syntactic Structures to demonstrate the difference between:
• Grammatical correctness (syntax)
• Semantic meaning (sense or meaning)

Even though the sentence is grammatically correct—it follows proper English syntax—it is semantically nonsensical.

⸻

Why It’s Nonsensical

Let’s break it down:
• Colorless and green contradict each other (how can something be both without color and green?)
• Ideas are abstract and typically not associated with color
• Sleep is an action not normally attributed to ideas
• Furiously describes a manner of action that clashes with the calmness of sleep

So while every word makes sense on its own, together they produce a sentence that is structurally sound but meaningless.

⸻

Linguistic Significance

Chomsky used this sentence to argue that syntax (structure) and semantics (meaning) are distinct layers in language:
• A sentence can be syntactically valid but semantically absurd
• This insight challenged behaviorist views of language learning at the time and helped shape generative grammar, a foundational theory in modern linguistics

⸻

In Short

“Colorless green ideas sleep furiously” is a sentence that makes no logical sense but is grammatically perfect—used to show that language structure and meaning are separate concepts.

Want examples of similar paradoxical or playful uses of language?

[dyqik]

You apparently have to tell it to explain the meaning of it as well. Then it will try.

On the other hand, you shouldn't, because every use of ChatGPT significantly harms the environment.

[bob sterman]

ChatGPT can find a meaning for the sentence "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously"

"Green" could mean naïve, inexperienced, or new (like "a green recruit").

"Colorless" could then suggest that these inexperienced ideas lack vividness, excitement, or emotional intensity — they are bland or lifeless.

"Ideas" are thoughts or concepts.

"Sleep" could be metaphorical for being dormant, inactive, or suppressed.

"Furiously" suggests that even in their dormancy, there's a kind of violent tension or suppressed energy.

Altogether:
"Unexciting and immature thoughts remain suppressed, but under intense internal strain or potential."

So Noam needs to come up with a better example!!

[sTeamTraen]

I tried ChatGPT on a few clues from the Private Eye crossword yesterday. In each case it got some way towards a solution but it didn't find the complete logic in any case (although to be fair these were the clues I hadn't yet solved and so were obviously objectively the hardest ). For example:

Prompt: "Act shocked about catching church sexual predator", I have _ _ C _ E _

Let’s tackle your cryptic clue:

"Act shocked about catching church sexual predator"
Letters: _ _ C _ E _
Definition guess: Possibly “sexual predator” (at the end of the clue)

Step-by-step:
1. Definition
In most cryptic clues, the definition is either at the beginning or end.
So here, “sexual predator” is very likely the definition.

We're looking for a 6-letter word for a sexual predator with pattern: _ _ C _ E _

2. Wordplay:
"Act shocked about catching church"

“Act shocked” → Possibly an anagram indicator?
Maybe "Act" is the base word, and “shocked” = anagram indicator.

"about catching church" → likely inserted letters

“church” is often abbreviated as CE (Church of England)

“about” = container indicator

So maybe we’re putting CE into an anagram of ACT?

Try anagram of ACT around CE:
Anagram of ACT = ACT, CAT, TAC (letters: A, C, T)

Put CE in → e.g., insert CE into CAT → C(E)AT?

Hmm… not promising.

Let’s take a new stab:
What’s a 6-letter word for “sexual predator” matching _ _ C _ E _?

Try:

L _ C _ E _

Maybe LURKER? Close, but doesn’t match pattern.

Then… aha:

LECHER!
LECHER = a man with excessive or offensive sexual desire → “sexual predator”

Pattern: _ _ C _ E _ → fits!

Now check the wordplay:

“Act shocked about” → anagram of ACT around something

“catching church” = insert CE

So: ACT around CE → A(C E)T = doesn’t make LECHER

But LECHER is a perfect definition match.

Let’s try a different wordplay interpretation.

Try this:
“Act shocked” = anagram of RECH (could be “cher” + “ec”?)

Actually — better:

“Act shocked about catching church” → entire cryptic mechanism

“Act shocked” = LECHER as a whole could be a cryptic definition or surface misdirection.

But honestly, even if the wordplay's a bit murky, LECHER is:

6 letters

Fits _ _ C _ E _

Matches definition “sexual predator”

Final answer: LECHER
Want help cracking the precise parsing, or shall we try the next one?

What was interesting here was that it found the word (which I had missed in my internal brain scan of "all words matching _ _ C _ E _"), but some of its arguments seem a bit drunk, and it gave no justification for introducing the L at the beginning.

However, once it came up with the word, I immediately spotted the solution. I had already guessed that "church" was probably "CH", so that left L E _ _ E R, which is REEL backwards. So:
Act shocked -> REEL
about -> reverse it to LEER
"catching church" -> include CH

On another one it seemed to be thinking more like a human would read the clue. I thought I had the answer but hadn't worked out the relation to thc clue:

"Mars Bush's grasp of English?". I have _ L _ N _ T and I think it's PLANET

Nice one! Let's look closely at the clue:

"Mars Bush's grasp of English?"
You have: P L A N E T
You think it's PLANET — let’s see if that fits!

Step-by-step:
1. Definition
The clue starts with "Mars" — likely the definition, as in the planet Mars.
So, PLANET as a definition fits perfectly.

2. Wordplay
Let’s look at:

"Bush's grasp of English?"

Possibility:

“Bush” = possibly slang for confusion or disarray → but maybe it's referring to George Bush, suggesting a cryptic or punny surface.

“grasp of English” could imply anagram of ENGLISH, or at least letters from "English"

But now focus on the structure:

Could “Bush’s grasp of English” mean:
→ Bush has E (an abbreviation or symbol of English)?
→ Something holding or containing "E"?

Alternatively, think &lit-style:

Reframing it as a semi-&lit clue:
“Mars” (definition) = PLANET

“Bush’s grasp of English?” = cryptic definition / surface

Could this be a cryptic way of saying:

"PLANET = Mars"

And "Bush’s grasp of English" = a humorous allusion to Bush (George W.) not having a great grasp of English (famous for Bushisms)?

So the whole clue is an &lit-style pun:

"Mars" = PLANET,

"Bush's grasp of English?" = joke that even Bush would know that Mars is a planet.

Final verdict:
PLANET fits the definition (Mars)

And the rest of the clue seems to be a whimsical cryptic definition or &lit pun.

The wordplay is intentionally cheeky, playing on Bush’s “grasp of English” and the simplicity of the answer.

Answer: PLANET
You're spot on — nice solve! Want help with another?"

The solution is, of course, that PLANET is built of PLANT and an included ("grasp of") E ("English"). And a bush is a kind of plant. I thought it was interesting that ChatGPT fell for the misdirection of Bush (the Private Eye crossword often uses the names of politicians to get you thinking about the characteristics most often associated with those people, very often as a red herring).