Yesterday, I took some time to ask Microsoft’s BING AI and Google’s ChatGTP about “theory of cure“. I have copied their responses in full at the bottom of this post.
Apparently, Microsoft’s Bing AI knows who I am. Google’s ChatGTP? Not at all.
BING: “Theory of Cure” Response Analysis
Bing’s response to “theory of cure” leads with a reference to a Harvard University article titled Care, Cure, and Context which contains the word “cure” only once outside of the title and “theory” only once – in reference to the “germ theory of disease.” It contains no reference to any “theory of cure.”
Next, Bing references my paper on Theory of Cure with, “Another theory of cure is presented in a paper by Tracy D Kolenchuk. The paper presents the foundation of a theory of cure.” However, Bing managed to mess up the link – which instead links to the third point.
Bings third reference is perhaps one of the most quoted theories of cure, “Lydia Hall’s Care, Cure, Core Theory of Nursing,” which is actually a theory of nursing, not a theory of cure. However, in the absence of any medical theory of cure – much less any authoritative medical theory of cure, Hall’s writing is often referred to as a theory of cure.
Bing then offers four links to further information, the first is a link my paper, “A Theory of Cure” published on Academia.edu in November 2019 and updated on March 2020. Bing makes no reference to the book A New Theory of Cure,” published in July 2021, nor to the updated paper published in 2023. The second link is to the Harvard article, published in 2021, which contains no reference to any theory of cure. The third and fourth links are to writings about Lydia C Hall and her Theory of Nursing – but without any link to her actual writings.
ChatGTP: “Theory of Cure” Response Analysis
The response from ChatGTP reminds me of American philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt in his short book On Bullshit. Frankfurt advises that “bullshit is speech intended to persuade without regard for truth. The liar cares about the truth and attempts to hide it; the bullshitter doesn’t care if what they say is true or false.” Frankfurt also gives a warning – one important in this case, advising that:
Bullshit is unavoidable whenever circumstances require
someone to talk without knowing what he is talking about. Thus
the production of bullshit is stimulated whenever a person’s
obligations or opportunities to speak about some topic are more
excessive than his knowledge of the facts that are relevant to that
topic.
ChatGTP’s response is full of waffling phrases like “the ‘theory of cure’ is a broad concept that can have different meanings depending on the context”, “the theory of cure often involves,” “the theory of cure might revolve around,” “the theory of cure may involve concepts related to psychotherapy, behavioral change, and emotional healing,” “They (alternative medical practices) may emphasize the interconnectedness of the body, mind, and spirit, and posit that healing involves restoring balance and harmony in all these aspects of a person’s life,” “the theory of cure can involve strategies and interventions aimed at preventing diseases,” and “the theory of cure may involve acknowledging the importance of the patient’s own beliefs, values, and experiences in the healing process.”
It all sounds so logical, but when we look closer, it actually says “may involve….blah, blah, blah,” “may emphasize….blah, blah, blah,” “can involve….blah, blah, blah,” and again “may involve….blah, blah, blah.”
The ChatGTP response actually avoids saying anything definitive, while giving the impression that it has a lot to say.
A second look is even more revealing. In each case, where ChatGTP used the phrase “theory of cure” we can substitute “cure” or “curing” with no loss of information – and a gain in clarity.
ChatGTP’s quote, “Theory of cure is a broad concept that can have different meanings depending on the context” becomes simply “Curing is a broad concept that can have different meanings depending on the context.”
ChatGTP’s quote, “theory of cure may involve concepts related to psychotherapy, behavioral change, and emotional healing.” becomes “curing may involve concepts related to psychotherapy, behavioral change, and emotional healing.“
ChatGTP’s “Some healing traditions and alternative medicine practices take a holistic approach to the theory of cure,” becomes “Some healing traditions and alternative medicine practices take a holistic approach to curing.”
In short, ChatGTP, like the proverbial BSing politician, simply said whatever it wanted, substituting the word I wanted to hear.
After ChatGTP spews several paragraphs of credible nonsense without references, it finishes with this vague, non-committal, bafflegab: “It’s important to note that the theory of cure can vary greatly depending on the specific disease or condition being addressed and the discipline or field of medicine or therapy involved. Additionally, medical science is continually evolving, and new theories of cure may emerge as our understanding of health and disease advances.“
Which we now understand actually says, “It’s important to note that the cure can vary greatly depending on the specific disease or condition being addressed and the discipline or field of medicine or therapy involved. Additionally, medical science is continually evolving, and new cures may emerge as our understanding of health and disease advances.“
Conclusion:
On a topic like “theory of cure,” where the answer cannot be found in Wikipedia, AI systems don’t do very well. The problem is simply that modern medicine, for all it’s pretentions of scientific progress, has no recognized theory of cure.
Bing managed to collect two useful references – and one erroneous. It failed to acknowledge many historical and other so-called alternative theories of medicine that propose theories of illness, disease, and cures. One of the links to references was simply WRONG. Another was a link to a reference of a reference, not the original source (Lydia Hall).
ChatGTP, on the other hand, having nothing to say, simply resorted to saying a lot of nothing. Sounding intelligent and authoritative, without actually making any commitment to fact. ChatGTP presents a perfect response for a bureaucrat who needs to sound intelligent without saying anything substantial. In short, bullshit.
Neither mentioned the theories of Hippocrates, who said simply, “The patient himself must bring about a cure by combating the cause of the disease,” and “Diseases which arise from repletion are cured by depletion; and those that arise from depletion are cured by repletion; and in general, diseases are cured by their contraries.” He also said “To sum up in a single sentence, opposites are cures for opposites.” Nor did either mention the theory of “like cures like” made famous by Hahnemann is his homeopathic writings of the Law of Similars, or Freud’s talking cure, which his been described as a theory, as a therapy, and as the historical foundation of psychoanalysis.
Strangely, if we ask Google about theory of cure, it references Lydia Hall’s theory of nursing first, followed by the book A New Theory of Cure, then again Lydia Hall references with other links to random pages like the published paper “Unconscious Fantasy and Theories of Cure.” None of these are discussed by ChatGTP.
Microsoft’s Bing, in similar fashion, when asked about theory of cure, references Lydia Hall’s nursing theory first, and has several references to my work in the book A New Theory of Cure and various published papers on ResearchGate, but makes no reference to Hippocrates nor Hahnemann on it’s first page. Freud’s talking cure makes a few appearances in later pages. Hahnemann’s like cures like is relegated to page 7 of the search. Hippocrates does not appear in the first 10 pages.
In short, both Google search and Bing search know more about theory of cure and offer more on the first page of their search results, than either of their heavily promoted AI systems.
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BING: response to “Theory of Cure”
In modern medicine, the concept of cure has evolved to encompass a wide range of practices and philosophies. For example, the Care, Cure, and Context theory developed by Harvard Medical School emphasizes the importance of social factors such as poverty and inequality in determining who gets sick, who gets better, and who dies 2.
Another theory of cure is presented in a paper by Tracy D Kolenchuk. The paper presents the foundation of a theory of cure, beginning with elementary illnesses and laying a framework to understand and cure compound illnesses, and to recognize cures when they occur or are achieved 3.
Lydia Hall’s Care, Cure, Core Theory of Nursing is another example of a theory that emphasizes the importance of caring for patients as individuals rather than just treating their symptoms 4.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
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ChatGTP: response to “Theory of Cure”
The “theory of cure” is a broad concept that can have different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. In general, it refers to the underlying principles or theories that explain how a particular treatment or intervention leads to the resolution or improvement of a medical condition or disease. Here are a few different perspectives on the theory of cure:
- Biological/Physiological Perspective: From a biological or physiological standpoint, the theory of cure often involves understanding the mechanisms by which a treatment or therapy affects the body. This might include concepts such as targeting the root cause of a disease, restoring normal physiological function, or eliminating pathogens (in the case of infectious diseases).
- Pharmacological Perspective: In the context of drug treatments, the theory of cure might revolve around how a specific medication interacts with molecular targets in the body, such as receptors or enzymes, to bring about therapeutic effects. Understanding the pharmacokinetics (how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes the drug) and pharmacodynamics (how the drug affects the body) is crucial in this context.
- Psychological Perspective: For certain conditions, especially those with a significant psychological component (e.g., mental health disorders), the theory of cure may involve concepts related to psychotherapy, behavioral change, and emotional healing. It may focus on how therapy helps individuals change their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to achieve better mental health.
- Holistic Perspective: Some healing traditions and alternative medicine practices take a holistic approach to the theory of cure. They may emphasize the interconnectedness of the body, mind, and spirit, and posit that healing involves restoring balance and harmony in all these aspects of a person’s life.
- Preventive Perspective: In preventive medicine, the theory of cure can involve strategies and interventions aimed at preventing diseases before they occur. This may include vaccination, lifestyle modifications, and public health measures that reduce risk factors for diseases.
- Patient-Centered Perspective: In patient-centered care, the theory of cure may involve acknowledging the importance of the patient’s own beliefs, values, and experiences in the healing process. This approach recognizes that a patient’s active involvement and engagement in their own care can be essential for achieving a cure or better health outcomes.
It’s important to note that the theory of cure can vary greatly depending on the specific disease or condition being addressed and the discipline or field of medicine or therapy involved. Additionally, medical science is continually evolving, and new theories of cure may emerge as our understanding of health and disease advances.