ChatGPT and summarizing content

[Polanus1561]

I used ChatGPT by typing "summarize in 20 bullet points" and entering a portion of Needham on the monastic movement (vol,1 on Logos)
It was able to condense the important information in bullet form. I have already read the book but wanted to make bullet points for my own use. I can oversee a larger amount of material more concisely and if I needed more info, I can always read the book itself. Such bullet points can also be used for sunday school material etc. I suppose/

This was the result

• Monasticism was the most significant development in the spiritual life of the Church during this period.
• Monasticism began in the latter half of the 3rd century, but became widespread only in the 4th.
• The movement originated in Syria and Egypt, where Hellenistic culture had not made much impact.
• The early monks lived solitary lives, but soon three different types of monk came into existence.
• Eremitic monasticism refers to monks who continued to live alone as hermits or anchorites.
• Cenobitic monasticism refers to monks who lived together in a community of monks.
• Skete monasticism was a sort of cross between the eremitic and cenobitic, and became quite popular in the East.
• Christian women also established communities devoted to cultivating the spiritual life, called nunneries.
• All monks and nuns would renounce all worldly property and pleasures, be celibate, and consecrate themselves to prayer, fasting and Bible study.
• The simple, disciplined style of life practised by monks and nuns was part of the general spirit of asceticism.
• Almost all the leading Churchmen of the 5th and following centuries were ascetics.
• An ever more popular aspect of Christian asceticism was a belief in the high spiritual worth of celibacy.
• The supreme example of the hermit was an Egyptian desert monk called Antony, a close friend of Athanasius.
• Athanasius wrote a popular biography of Antony which helped to spread monastic ideals in both East and West.
• Pachomius at first practised the solitary life of a hermit, but in about 320 he founded a community of monks in the Egyptian village of Tabbenisi.
• Pachomius' monks lived a common life, working and praying and eating together, and sharing all property.
• Pachomius wrote a "rule" to govern the community life of his monks, and other monastic communities adopted this rule.
• Monks normally called the head of a monastery an abbot.
• Christian asceticism influenced the belief in the high spiritual worth of celibacy.
• The monastic movement had a significant impact on the Church during this period.

 

[inkling]

In terms of a force multiplier for a disciplined student or researcher, I think there is real potential. As a (part-time) university faculty, given the current state and effort of the average master's student (in public schools), I'm horrified.

 

[Polanus1561]

In terms of a force multiplier for a disciplined student or researcher, I think there is real potential. As a (part-time) university faculty, given the current state and effort of the average master's student (in public schools), I'm horrified.

I get you. For my own personal use, I just see it as a way to trim down well-written stuff to just the concise substantial facts which AI is able to identify. All for personal use.

 

[inkling]

I get you. For my own personal use, I just see it as a way to trim down well-written stuff to just the concise substantial facts which AI is able to identify. All for personal use.

Completely agree for the responsible user. There has been no better time for study and research than now, given all the tools available to us. Truly a great time to live in the history of redemption.