[GoLUG] LLMs can't reason

[Kyle Terrien]

First, thank you for the good laugh.  I read your comments in a coffee
shop, and people gave me funny looks.

I know you are trying to get me upset.  It won’t work; I’ve heard all
of it before.  I find it entertaining.  The answers are out there for
anyone who wants to look.  I have included some pointers to get
started.

Anyway, I want to clarify something about the US school system: you
are absolutely correct that American public schools stink nowadays.

On Thu, Jun 19, 2025 at 12:25:19PM -0700, Ron wrote:
> > > The "Catholic Apologetics Online"?  A pathetic link lacking in any
> > > evidence whatsoever.
> > 
> > Certainly more credible than recycled arguments from /r/atheism.
> 
> Wait, "recycled arguments from r/atheism"? Are you f**king serious?

I am dead serious that your arguments are textbook /r/atheism
material.  The Russel’s Teapot thought experiment is one of the
central tenets of /r/atheism.

> You are not a serious person debating in good faith, you're using any logical
> fallacy to reach the conclusion you've been indoctrinated into.

Russel’s Teapot calls Russel’s Kettle black...

> I don't know if I'm seeing a massive failure of the American school system
> or a disturbing success of religious indoctrination (or if those are the
> same things *cough* Pledge of Allegiance *cough*)
> 
> But it sure sheds light on the current state of affairs down there.

American public schools do stink, but I went to an online charter
school for grades 3-9.  Also, I grew up and live in progressive
California.  I’m not a product of “the system”.

It may surprise you to learn this, but I don’t like religious
fundamentalism either.  I semi-regularly debate religious
fundamentalists because they rely too much on their own personal
interpretations of scripture rather than taking tradition and history
into account.  It is true that almost everything I say on the topic
can be found in an old book.  Our elders may have been ignorant of
modern technology, but they were not stupid.

Lastly, I discovered Christian philosophy long after college.  I was
never exposed to it growing up (another point of shame for the school
system).  I am an adult convert, and I voluntarily chose this life.
I’m not an indoctrinated Mooney or TV evangelist.  However, I am a
GNU/Linux evangelist, which makes for an interesting combination.

Bottom line: I’m not a good sample point for stereotypes of “those
silly Bible-thumper Americans”.  I have almost nothing in common with
them theologically, but I find it funny somehow being lumped into the
same category.

--Kyle

-- 
[*] Kyle Terrien
    Terrenus => from the Earth, to the Cloud
    https://terren.us/

Dilexisti justitiam, et odisti iniquitatem.  -- Psalmus 44:8