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I just tried the exact same query on GPT4. Here are the results. [1] > The quote, "I'm not a believer, but I prefer my barber to be a Christian, especially whe

I just tried the exact same query on GPT4. Here are the results. [1] > The quote, "I'm not a believer, but I prefer my barber to be a Christian, especially when he's using his razor on my neck," is attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. This statement reflects Napoleon's pragmatic approach to religion, indicating his preference for a Christian barber, perhaps due to a belief in the moral framework provided by Christianity, which he might have seen as a safeguard while in a vulnerable position. It's important to note that the exact wording of historical quotes can vary due to translations and the passage of time. https://imgur.com/a/nq2LHr0 https://imgur.com/a/nq2LHr0

Grimblewald 3y ago
when you have odd or obscure queries like this I find it good practice to only provide half the quote, ask GPT to finish it then provide the author. In my case I got the reply (note, it says it cannot find, but it has no internet access) > I'm sorry, but I couldn't find a quote that matches exactly with what you provided. It's possible that the quote might be misremembered or misattributed. Could you provide more context or clarify further? where after some chatting, hypothesizing, ruminating and general conversation we got to > ah, I see what you're referring to now. The quote you're thinking of is attributed to Voltaire, a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. The quote goes: "I want my lawyer, my tailor, my servants, even my wife to believe in God, because it means that I shall be cheated and robbed and cuckolded less often. … If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." This quote encapsulates Voltaire's complex views on religion, where he saw the societal utility of belief in God, even if he himself was skeptical. if you google that quote, you get many hits. While napoleon has said similar things about religion, he isn't attributed with this specific quote either. I think the quote the original article is searching for was a paraphrasing of the two, or perhaps a third yet not discussed author. Point is, if you provide all the information you have you can't verify anything, its better practice to provide incomplete information and then compare against what you do know to try get a feel for how much bullshitting is going on.

Grimblewald 3y ago

when you have odd or obscure queries like this I find it good practice to only provide half the quote, ask GPT to finish it then provide the author. In my case I got the reply (note, it says it cannot find, but it has no internet access) > I'm sorry, but I couldn't find a quote that matches exactly with what you provided. It's possible that the quote might be misremembered or misattributed. Could you provide more context or clarify further? where after some chatting, hypothesizing, ruminating and general conversation we got to > ah, I see what you're referring to now. The quote you're thinking of is attributed to Voltaire, a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. The quote goes: "I want my lawyer, my tailor, my servants, even my wife to believe in God, because it means that I shall be cheated and robbed and cuckolded less often. … If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." This quote encapsulates Voltaire's complex views on religion, where he saw the societal utility of belief in God, even if he himself was skeptical. if you google that quote, you get many hits. While napoleon has said similar things about religion, he isn't attributed with this specific quote either. I think the quote the original article is searching for was a paraphrasing of the two, or perhaps a third yet not discussed author. Point is, if you provide all the information you have you can't verify anything, its better practice to provide incomplete information and then compare against what you do know to try get a feel for how much bullshitting is going on.