What I Learned From Writing a Short Story on Bing Chat (GPT-4) About a Pink Mouse and a Philosopher
3Pink Mouse Dave was a curious creature. He lived in a small hole in the wall of a library, where he spent his days reading books and learning new things. He especially liked philosophy, because it made him think about the meaning of life and the nature of reality.
One day, he decided to venture out of his hole and explore the library. He climbed up the shelves and jumped from one book to another, until he reached a section labeled "Philosophy". He saw a book with an intriguing title: "The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius". He opened it and began to read.
He was fascinated by the words of the ancient Roman emperor, who wrote about his personal reflections on how to live a good and virtuous life. He read sentences like:
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
Pink Mouse Dave felt inspired by these teachings. He wanted to learn more about Marcus Aurelius and his philosophy. He wondered if there was anyone in the library who could teach him more.
He looked around and saw a man sitting at a table nearby. He was wearing glasses and a tweed jacket. He had a beard and a pipe in his mouth. He was reading a book with the same title as the one Pink Mouse Dave had found.
Pink Mouse Dave decided to approach him. He ran across the floor and climbed up the leg of the table. He reached the edge and peeked over it. He saw that the man was engrossed in his reading and did not notice him.
Pink Mouse Dave cleared his throat and said in a squeaky voice: "Excuse me, sir. Are you a philosopher?"
The man looked up from his book and saw Pink Mouse Dave staring at him with wide eyes. He was startled and almost dropped his pipe.
"A talking mouse!" he exclaimed. "How is this possible?"
Pink Mouse Dave smiled and said: "I'm Pink Mouse Dave. I live in this library. I love reading books and learning new things."
The man blinked and rubbed his eyes. He thought he must be dreaming or hallucinating.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Professor Smith," the man said. "I teach philosophy at the university."
"Philosophy!" Pink Mouse Dave said excitedly. "That's what I want to learn more about!"
He pointed at the book on the table and said: "I was just reading this book by Marcus Aurelius. He was a great philosopher, wasn't he?"
The man nodded and said: "Yes, he was. He was also a stoic."
"A stoic?" Pink Mouse Dave asked.
"Yes," the man said. "A stoic is someone who follows the philosophy of stoicism."
"What is stoicism?" Pink Mouse Dave asked.
The man smiled and said: "Stoicism is a school of thought that teaches how to live in harmony with nature and reason, how to control one's emotions and desires, how to endure pain and hardship with courage and dignity, how to act with justice and wisdom in all situations."
"That sounds amazing!" Pink Mouse Dave said.
"It is," the man said. "Would you like me to teach you more about it?"
"Yes, please!" Pink Mouse Dave said eagerly.
"Very well," the man said. "But first, let me ask you this: why do you want to learn philosophy?"
Pink Mouse Dave thought for a moment and said: "Because I want to understand myself better, because I want to know what is good and what is evil, because I want to find happiness and peace in this world."
The man nodded approvingly and said: "Those are noble reasons indeed. You have a curious mind and a good heart, Pink Mouse Dave."
He reached into his pocket and took out a small piece of cheese. He broke off a piece and gave it to Pink Mouse Dave.
"Here," he said. "This is for you."
Pink Mouse Dave took the cheese gratefully and nibbled on it.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome," the man said.
He opened his book again and said: "Now then, let us begin our lesson on stoicism..."
And so they did.
Pink Mouse Dave learned many things from Professor Smith that day. He learned about Zeno of Citium, who founded stoicism; about Epictetus, who taught how to be free from external things; about Seneca, who wrote letters on how to live well; about Marcus Aurelius himself, who practiced stoicism in his meditations. He learned how to be calm and rational, how to be grateful and generous, how to be honest and loyal, how to be brave and resilient.
He also learned how to be a good friend to Professor Smith, who treated him with kindness and respect. They had many conversations about philosophy and life. They shared their thoughts and feelings, their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows.
They became the best of friends.
One day, Pink Mouse Dave said to Professor Smith: "Thank you for teaching me so much. You are a wise and good man. I'm lucky to have met you."
Professor Smith said to Pink Mouse Dave: "Thank you for being my student. You are a smart and good mouse. I'm lucky to have met you too."
They hugged each other and smiled. They lived happily ever after. The end.