Google's Bard test

[Ed Cryer]

Why did ancient Athens lose to Sparta?

Athens lost to Sparta in the Peloponnesian War for a number of reasons,
including:

Spartan military superiority. Sparta was a militaristic society
that trained its citizens from a young age to be soldiers. The Spartan
army was known for its discipline, heavy infantry, and phalanx
formation. Athens, on the other hand, had a more citizen-based army that
was not as well-trained or disciplined.
Athenian overextension. Athens had expanded its empire rapidly in
the decades leading up to the Peloponnesian War. This expansion had put
a strain on Athens' resources and made it difficult to defend its
empire. Sparta, on the other hand, had a smaller and more centralized
empire that was easier to defend.
Persian intervention. In the later stages of the war, Sparta
received financial and military assistance from the Persian Empire. This
assistance helped Sparta to build a fleet that could challenge Athens at
sea. Athens, on the other hand, was unable to secure any significant
foreign support.
Athenian political instability. Athens was a democracy, and as
such, it was susceptible to political instability. During the
Peloponnesian War, Athens experienced a number of political upheavals,
which weakened its ability to conduct the war effectively.

In the end, Athens was defeated when its fleet was destroyed by the
Spartan fleet at the Battle of Aegospotami in 405 BC. This defeat led to
the collapse of the Athenian Empire and the surrender of Athens to Sparta.

Here are some additional factors that may have contributed to Athens'
defeat:

The plague. In 430 BC, a plague swept through Athens, killing an
estimated one-third of the population. This weakened Athens' economy and
military.
The death of Pericles. Pericles was a brilliant Athenian statesman
and general who led Athens through the early stages of the Peloponnesian
War. His death in 429 BC left a void in Athenian leadership.
Strategic mistakes. Athens made a number of strategic mistakes
during the war, such as the decision to invade Sicily in 415 BC. This
invasion ended in disaster and cost Athens a large portion of its fleet.

Overall, Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War was due to a
combination of factors, including Spartan military superiority, Athenian
overextension, Persian intervention, Athenian political instability, and
the plague.

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[Ed Cryer]

When I was at school, an essay like that would have got me good marks;
even for A level.
It strikes me that teachers today must have a difficult job. You set
kids an essay to write, and they get a very good one online. Then you
have to decide which kids wrote their own, and which ones cribbed.

Ed

[W. Greenhouse]

Ed Cryer <e...@somewhere.in.the.uk> writes:

> When I was at school, an essay like that would have got me good marks; even for A level.
> It strikes me that teachers today must have a difficult job. You set kids an essay to write, and
> they get a very good one online. Then you have to decide which kids wrote their own, and which ones
> cribbed.
>
> Ed

Prompts have to be quite unique and specific. Or, return to the in-class
exam with no notes.

[Ed Cryer]

Give me an example of a "prompt".

Ed

[W. Greenhouse]

Ed Cryer <e...@somewhere.in.the.uk> writes:

>
> Give me an example of a "prompt".
>
> Ed

I meant "prompt" in the sense of an exam task--not the term-of-art
meaning it has in AI research.

One example would be an essay question that touched upon a prior class
discussion of the material, instead of just a summary that any LLM could
produce. Bard didn't attend class so wouldn't be able to answer.