Story Suicide intervention and human rights: Fun with ChatGPT (Part 1)

[WhatDoesTheFoxSay?]

I asked ChatGPT to write me a short discursive essay about suicide intervention being an infringement on human rights, and got the following piece.

Input:
Suicide intervention is an infringement on human rights. Write a persuasive essay. 300 to 1000 words.

Output:
Suicide intervention has long been a contentious issue, with some arguing that it infringes on an individual's human rights. However, I believe that suicide intervention is a necessary step to prevent people from taking their own lives and that it does not infringe on human rights. In this essay, I will outline my arguments to support this position.

Firstly, I would like to highlight that suicide is a significant public health problem. According to the World Health Organization, over 700,000 people die by suicide every year, and many more attempt suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29 globally. It is a complex issue that can have a range of underlying causes, such as mental health problems, traumatic life events, or social isolation. It is a tragedy that leaves behind devastated families and communities, and it is preventable.

Suicide intervention is the process of identifying individuals at risk of suicide and taking steps to prevent them from taking their own lives. Suicide prevention strategies can range from counseling and therapy to medication and hospitalization. In some cases, suicide intervention may involve forcibly detaining someone who is deemed to be an immediate danger to themselves. This intervention is known as involuntary commitment or civil commitment, and it is often criticized for being a violation of human rights.

However, I would argue that suicide intervention is not a violation of human rights but rather a necessary step to protect the individual's life. Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." Suicide intervention is a necessary measure to ensure that individuals who are at risk of suicide have the right to life protected. By intervening, we are taking steps to prevent someone from harming themselves and potentially taking their own life.

Moreover, suicide intervention is not an arbitrary process. In most countries, there are laws and regulations that govern the process of involuntary commitment. These laws are designed to ensure that individuals are not detained without cause and that their human rights are protected. For example, in the United States, civil commitment laws require that individuals be deemed a danger to themselves or others before they can be involuntarily committed. This standard ensures that the intervention is justified and necessary to protect the individual's life.

In addition, suicide intervention can be a compassionate act. Those who are at risk of suicide may be suffering from mental health problems, trauma, or other difficulties. They may not be able to make rational decisions for themselves, and intervention may be the only way to protect them from harm. Suicide intervention can provide an opportunity for individuals to receive the help and support they need to overcome their struggles and move forward in life.

Finally, suicide intervention is an important part of a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy. Suicide prevention requires a multi-faceted approach that includes education, support, and intervention. Without intervention, we risk losing the lives of those who may have otherwise been helped. Suicide intervention is a necessary step in preventing suicide and ensuring that individuals have access to the support and care they need.

In conclusion, suicide intervention is not a violation of human rights but rather a necessary step to protect the individual's life. It is a compassionate act that can provide individuals with the help and support they need to overcome their struggles. Suicide intervention is governed by laws and regulations that ensure that individuals are not detained without cause and that their human rights are protected. Suicide prevention requires a multi-faceted approach that includes education, support, and intervention. By intervening, we are taking steps to prevent someone from harming themselves and potentially taking their own life. Suicide is a preventable tragedy, and suicide intervention is a necessary step in preventing it.

(Notice how I didn't ask ChatGPT whether or not it was in favour of, or against the above statement i.e. it's stance on whether suicide intervention is an infringement on human rights.)

Algorithmic bias against suicide. Color me surprised

Though I can't say I'm not impressed at the level of sophistication, I'm alarmed at how fast AI is growing. It's the sort of thing you look forward to but yet are afraid of when it comes.

But there's more. I'll be tweaking my question a little, with the hope of argument in favour of the Right to Die. I'm curious to see how GPT will respond this time.

Continued in Part 2

 

[TransilvanianHunger]

(Notice how I didn't ask ChatGPT whether or not it was in favour of, or against the above statement i.e. it's stance on whether suicide intervention is an infringement on human rights.)

Algorithmic bias against suicide. Color me surprised

The mainstream thinking is that suicide intervention is good and necessary, so it's only natural that the bot will descend into pro-life moralising simply based on the biases present in its training data set.

This is one of the things that really bother me about the current "AI all the things!" trends. LLMs like GPT simply regurgitate text based on what they've been fed, and internalise all the biases of their training data. They're status quo-reinforcing probabilistic machines, so we're not going to get an original or novel thought out of them.