{"id":62483,"date":"2025-10-01T15:53:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T19:53:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rudebaguette.com\/?p=62483"},"modified":"2025-09-30T05:38:55","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T09:38:55","slug":"ancient-puzzle-breaks-ai-logic-scientists-watch-chatgpt-struggle-with-platos-2400-year-old-geometry-test-and-improvise-like-a-confused-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rudebaguette.com\/en\/2025\/10\/ancient-puzzle-breaks-ai-logic-scientists-watch-chatgpt-struggle-with-platos-2400-year-old-geometry-test-and-improvise-like-a-confused-student\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cAncient Puzzle Breaks AI Logic\u201d: Scientists Watch ChatGPT Struggle With Plato\u2019s 2,400-Year-Old Geometry Test And Improvise Like A Confused Student"},"content":{"rendered":"
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IN A NUTSHELL<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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  • \ud83e\udde0 Scientists challenged ChatGPT with a 2,400-year-old problem<\/strong>, revealing insights into AI reasoning.<\/li>\n
  • \ud83d\udd0d The experiment questioned whether mathematical knowledge<\/strong> is innate or learned, using Plato’s “doubling the square” problem.<\/li>\n
  • \ud83e\udd16 ChatGPT’s responses suggested improvisation<\/strong>, resembling human learning and questioning AI’s reasoning transparency.<\/li>\n
  • \ud83d\udcda Researchers highlighted the need for critical evaluation<\/strong> of AI-generated solutions in educational settings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

    The question of whether mathematical knowledge is innate or learned has been a subject of philosophical debate for centuries. Recently, a team of scientists from Cambridge University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem revisited this question using modern technology. They posed an ancient problem to ChatGPT, a large language model. The problem, known as “doubling the square,” was originally articulated by the Greek philosopher Plato over two millennia ago. This experiment aimed to explore the capabilities of artificial intelligence in solving mathematical problems with non-obvious solutions and to question whether AI can mimic human reasoning.<\/p>\n

    The Ancient Problem of Doubling the Square<\/h2>\n

    The “doubling the square” problem dates back to around 385 B.C.E., attributed to the philosopher Plato. In the problem, Socrates challenges a student to double the area of a square. The student mistakenly doubles the length of each side, unaware that the correct approach involves using the diagonal of the original square. This problem has been used for centuries to debate the nature of mathematical understanding \u2014 whether it is an innate ability or something acquired through experience and education.<\/p>\n

    In their experiment, the scientists selected this problem for ChatGPT, hypothesizing that its solution might not be readily available in the language model’s training data. Unlike humans, who can visualize and manipulate geometric concepts, ChatGPT primarily processes text. This made its task all the more challenging, as it required the AI to exhibit reasoning akin to creative problem-solving, rather than relying on pre-existing knowledge.<\/p>\n

    Scientists Crack 100-Year-Old Math Mystery That Can Finally Unlock the Full Power Potential of Turbines Worldwide<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n