top of page
Writer's picture Scott Edwin Williams

Adam Smith's Pet Rooster

Updated: Jun 30, 2023

In my last blog, I wrote about my experiments with AI illustration. I waxed lyrical about how it's helped me create appropriate illustrations for the latest Lightbulb Moments in Human History book. In short, it’s been a godsend.


In the same piece, I smugly stated that I would “draw the line at letting ChatGPT do the writing for me.” That was because I thought ChatGPT, for all its amazing features, was “questionable.”


The following is an illustration of exactly how questionable it can be.


The other day I was experimenting with ChatGPT researching the seminal economist Adam Smith for a chapter on the Enlightenment. And, as is my wont, I decided to prompt ChatGPT for an amusing story about the famous Scotsman.

Along with some rather lame anecdotes about “invisible hands” and Smith’s renowned absent-mindedness, ChatGPT turned up this little gem:


Smith was fond of having a pet rooster as a companion during his writing sessions. The rooster, named Dionysius, would perch on Smith’s shoulder as he worked. It is said that Smith found the crowing of the rooster to be a source of inspiration.


Upon reading this, my eyes lit up. I was already formulating jokes about Adam Smith and his inspirational cock, when my brain suddenly screeched to a halt.


Wait.


This was too good to be true. I had to check it out.


It didn’t take long for me to find there was absolutely no truth to it. Not a skerrick. As far as could be ascertained from the biographical information, it was unclear if Smith had even seen a rooster, let alone had a pet one that helped him write The Wealth of Nations.

adam smith
"Adam Smith" and his pet "rooster" (Midjourney)

Now, as I wrote in the last blog, I wouldn’t stoop so low as to let ChatGPT write for me, but I’m now extremely wary of its veracity in general.


But, hey, I thought, this might make a good story for the blog, so I decided to create a matching AI illustration in Midjourney. If I was looking for something equally absurd as the anecdote, I’d come to the right place. I reproduce it, without further comment, herewith.


Enjoy.



lightbulb moments


18 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Privacy Policy

WHAT DATA DO WE COLLECT ABOUT YOU, FOR WHAT PURPOSE AND ON WHAT GROUND WE PROCESS IT Personal data means any information capable of...

Comments


bottom of page