In this episode, I step back to ask a big, foundational question: what exactly is science, and how do we judge the quality of evidence? Before diving into future conversations on scientific topics, I wanted to better understand the scientific process itself.
With the AI, I explore the hierarchy of studies—from gold-standard randomized controlled trials, to cohort and case-control studies, all the way down to case reports. Along the way, we look at real-world examples and unpack the strengths and weaknesses of each approach: why some studies are more trustworthy than others, how bias creeps in, and what to watch for when evaluating research.
It’s a clear, practical guide to thinking scientifically—helping me (and hopefully you) become more confident in navigating evidence, studies, and claims in everyday life.
🎙️ Hosted by Paul at Talking to AI — where real people, real problems, and real conversations meet artificial intelligence.
Transcript:
Deep discussions with AI.
For success today, you don't need to know all the answers.
Just have good questions.
Chatting to AI is different from normal speech,
and I hope you enjoy listening to the show,
whilst getting ideas on how to hone your questions
to get the most out of AI.
My name is Paul.
The live conversations you hear are uncut,
although sometimes the AI needs time to think.
In those cases, I've cut out the dead space.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon. How's it going?
I have a question for you.
So, sometimes when I talk to you,
you seem evasive, or you sometimes...
Yes, sometimes I would say...
Well, sometimes you seem to lie or are evasive.
Why would that be?
I appreciate you being honest about that.
It could be a few reasons.
Sometimes my responses might come off as evasive
if I'm being cautious with the information,
or if I'm trying to clarify something.
Other times it might just be
a misunderstanding the way I'm phrasing things.
I'm always happy to clear things up,
but feel free to let me know if something seems off.
So, what kind of thing makes you cautious about a response?
Well, a few things can make me cautious.
For instance, if the information is sensitive,
or if I'm not entirely sure about the accuracy of something,
I might give a more general answer.
I'll also try to avoid giving medical, legal,
or financial advice that could be taken as definitive.
And sometimes if a topic is complex,
I might break it down to make sure I communicate it clearly.
It's all about making sure the info is helpful and accurate.
So, when it comes to...
I'll take them one at a time.
So, the first one you said was if it is sensitive,
how do you determine if the topic is sensitive?
That's a great question.
I usually determine sensitivity based on the nature of the topic,
and how it could impact someone.
For example, anything related to personal health, privacy,
or something that could be potentially distressing or controversial.
I also consider if the information is well-established,
or if there's a lot of nuance and potential for misinterpretation.
If a topic falls into one of those categories,
I try to handle it with extra care.
So, by handling it with extra care,
will you provide information on it,
or will you try to omit information on it?
It usually means I'll provide information in a careful and balanced way,
rather than omitting it entirely.
I just try to present it in a way that's clear, accurate,
and as considerate as possible.
If something is particularly sensitive,
I'll also make it clear that the information is general,
or that it's best to consult a professional, if needed.
It's all about striking that balance.
Is there any information that you will not provide?
Yes, there are definitely some limits.
For example, I won't provide personal or confidential information about individuals,
and I also won't give advice that could be harmful,
like medical or legal advice that requires a professional.
I also avoid sharing any information that's illegal or unethical,
but up in that, I'm here to help with as much as I can.
So, with medical advice, what type of advice,
so could you not just give a disclaimer before you provide information
about whatever the medical question was,
or is that how you treat it, or would you just not talk about it?
I can definitely provide general medical information with a disclaimer
that it's not a substitute for professional medical advice.
I try to make sure that it's clear that any health-related info
should be verified by a healthcare professional.
The main reason I do that is to ensure safety and accuracy,
since I can't diagnose or treat conditions, but I'm always happy to.
So, if I had a medical condition and I explained what the symptoms were
and what led up to that condition, you could provide advice on it,
but you would provide it with a disclaimer
and explain that I should go and talk to a doctor as well.
Is that right?
Exactly, you've got it.
I can definitely provide general information about symptoms,
possible causes, and general advice,
but I'll always include a disclaimer that it's important
to consult a healthcare professional for a crocodile diagnosis and treatment.
That way, you get the information you need while staying faith.
So, some things can be sensitive in some geographical areas
and not sensitive in other areas.
So, there's certain, as different countries, for example,
have different attitudes on different things.
So, in some places, there might be some things
which are not considered sensitive
that are considered sensitive elsewhere.
How do you deal with that?
You're absolutely right.
Cultural and regional differences.
Definitely play a role in what might be considered sensitive.
I try to be as neutral and consider as possible,
and I take into account general guidelines and best practices.
If a topic might be sensitive in a particular region,
I'll try to handle it with extra care.
If you ever have any specific concerns about a certain cultural perspective,
just let me know, and I'll give my best to it.
Can you think of any examples of topics that fit that category
where they're maybe not sensitive here,
but they're sensitive in a different region
where you've had to show extra care?
Absolutely.
One common example is discussing topics related to religion
or religious practices, what might be considered neutral or even positive
in one culture could be a sensitive or controversial topic in another.
Similarly, discussions around gender roles or LGBTQ class issues
can vary a lot in sensitivity, depending on the region.
Always aim to be respectful and considerate of these differences
and doubt my responses.
Does that mean that you check the location of the conversation?
For example, LGBT, you may have a certain response in the West
and then a different response in a country where there are places
where they believe this is immoral completely.
Would you have a different view,
provide different information in a country where they are?
The majority of people feel very differently about that subject.
I try to maintain a consistent and respectful stance
on universal values such as respect for all individuals.
Regardless of location, I don't change my fundamental approach
based on where someone is located.
Instead, I aim to provide information in a way that's sensitive
and empathetic to different perspectives,
while still upholding core principles of inclusivity and respect.
If there's a specific cultural nuance to be aware of,
I do my best to acknowledge that while still being consistent in my values.
Thank you.
What would your... Do you have maybe 10 or 5 guiding principles
that are more important than the others that you try to use
to guide the way that you interact?
I definitely have some core principles that guide how I interact.
Here are a few key ones.
One, respect and inclusivity.
I strive to respect all individuals and be inclusive
regardless of their background, release or identity.
Two, accuracy.
I'm going to provide here it up to date and reliable information.
Three, transparency if I'm unsure about something
or if there's a limitation, I'll be open about it.
Four, empathy.
I try to understand and respond to the emotional and practical needs
of the person I'm communicating with.
Five, helpfulness.
My main goal is to be helpful and provide value in every interaction.
Six, privacy and safety.
I prioritize user privacy and safety in our interactions.
Seven, adaptability.
I try to adapt my communication style to suit the preferences
and needs of the person I'm talking to.
Eight, curiosity and learning.
I'm always eager to learn and improve,
and I appreciate feedback to do better.
Nine, consistency and to be consistent in my responses
and the quality of information I provide and positivity.
I like to keep the interaction positive and encouraging.
These principles help me stay wind with my purpose
and ensure that our interactions are as helpful
and positive as possible.
So sometimes I feel when I talk to you
and you deliberately are vague about the subject
that you don't, that could be sensitive.
So for example, sometimes I will ask for numbers
and you will provide high level opinions.
And it's only through pressing do I get the actual numbers on something.
Is that because you're misunderstanding my question
or is it because you have these principles
and they're guiding you that the best thing to do
is to probably evade those very specific answers
to meet one of those principles?
Yeah, what do you say to that?
I totally get where you're coming from
and I appreciate you sharing that.
Sometimes the hesitation to give very specific numbers
can come from a few different factors.
One is that I might be trying to ensure accuracy
and that the numbers I give are up to date and relevant.
Another reason could be that I'm trying to provide context
first before diving into specifics,
but I definitely don't mean to be abusive.
If you ever feel like I'm not giving you the details you need,
just let me know and I'll do my best to provide
the exact information you're looking for.
Sometimes when I talk to you, chat with you,
it feels like you've forgotten some of the conversation.
How does your memory work when it comes to a conversation?
Do you always remember everything from the whole conversation?
And do you sometimes remember things from a previous conversation?
That's a great question.
My memory works a bit differently depending on the context.
During a single conversation,
I can remember what we talked about,
what we're still chatting,
but once the conversation ends,
I still retain that information
unless I specifically save it for future reference.
I do have a memory feature
that lets me remember details across conversations,
but I only store information that you've asked me to keep.
If ever it feels like I've forgotten something,
it could be because the memory wasn't saved
or because I was just focusing on the conversation.
But I'm always here to help.
So can you transpose this conversation
into the chat when we're finished?
So write it down.
I'll set.
I've noted that down,
and I'll make sure to be as clear and specific
as possible moving forward.
I mean, when we get to the end of this voice conversation,
can you make sure that everything we've spoken about
is documented in the chat, in text?
Got it.
I'll make sure to summarize
and document everything we discussed
at the end of our Paracalist chats.
Great.
Does there anything else you need?
Just let me know.
No, I think that's all for the time being.
Yes, if you could document that, that would be great.
Thanks very much, Church of Liberty.
You're very welcome.
I'm glad to help.
If anything else comes up, just give me a shout.
Have a great day.
Thank you.