How I Accidentally Created An PhD-Level Chatbot (#Claude.ai)

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How I Accidentally Created a “PhD-Level” Chatbot Style (And Why It Works Better Than Default AI)

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The Problem with Generic Chatbot Responses

If you’ve ever used a chatbot—whether it’s Claude, ChatGPT, or another AI—you’ve probably noticed something: their responses often feel watered down, vague, or overly simplistic. That’s not because the AI lacks knowledge. It’s because **Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF)** trains these models to “regress to the mean,” delivering responses at about a **fifth- or sixth-grade reading level**. The result? Generic, cautious, and often unhelpful answers—especially when you’re diving into complex topics like health, science, or niche academic fields.

I stumbled onto a solution by accident. And it’s changed how I use AI forever.

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The Accidental Discovery: A “Scholarly Dialogue” Style

A few months ago, I was recovering from **chronic health issues**, specifically **H. pylori treatment**. Thirteen weeks post-treatment, I asked a chatbot a simple question about my progress. Instead of the usual vague advice (“consult a specialist”), the AI responded with **specific, expert-level insights**:

> *“At 13 weeks post-treatment, you’re in the **gastric healing phase**, characterized by **gastric mucosa regeneration**. This process typically takes **3 to 6 months**. A key but often overlooked aspect is the **microbiome restoration period**…”*

No equivocation. No fluff. Just **highly useful, precise information**.

 **How Did This Happen?**

I was experimenting with **custom styling** in Claude. Instead of writing a prompt from scratch, I **copied and pasted one of my own blog posts**—essentially teaching the AI to mimic my writing style. The result was a **“scholarly dialogue” mode** that:

- **Avoids lists** (which are hard to read).

- **Uses incomplete sentences** for a more natural, conversational flow.

- **Highlights key terms in bold** for emphasis.

- **Pulls out important points in blockquotes** to break up the text.

- **Emphasizes critical ideas in italics**.

The AI wasn’t just regurgitating facts—it was **teaching me like an expert**.

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 **Why This Works: Unlocking the AI’s Hidden Depth**

Most chatbots are **hamstrung by RLHF**, which prioritizes safety and simplicity over depth. But when you **remove those constraints**, the AI reveals its true potential.

 **Example 1: Medical Insights Without Asking for a “Doctor Mode”**

When I mentioned my **probiotics, food sensitivities, and limited appetite**, the AI responded with terms I’d never heard before:

- **Post-H. pylori gastric hypersensitivity**

- **Selective food intolerance**

- **Adaptive anorexia** (a protective mechanism where the body reduces hunger to minimize stomach acid and aid healing)

- **Osmotic gastritis**

It wasn’t just diagnosing—it was **educating me at a PhD level**, without me ever asking it to “act like a doctor.”

**Example 2: Isomorphic Learning and Cognitive Patterns**

Later, I asked about **returning to the gym**. The AI introduced me to:

- **Isomorphic learning**: Recognizing structural patterns across domains (e.g., how **movement progression, musical training, and video game design** all rely on constrained practice leading to complexity).

- **Synovial fluid dynamics**: How movement literally pumps fluid into joint capsules.

This wasn’t just useful—it was **intellectually stimulating**.

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 **The Secret Sauce: Stylistic Tricks That Force Depth**

Here’s what makes this style so effective:

1. **No Lists** → Forces the AI to **connect ideas narratively**.

2. **Bold and Italics** → Guides the reader’s attention to **what matters most**.

3. **Blockquotes** → Breaks up dense text and **highlights key takeaways**.

4. **Incomplete Sentences** → Mimics natural, **high-level discourse** (like a professor thinking aloud).

The AI wasn’t dumbing things down—it was **meeting me at my level**.

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**How to Replicate This Yourself**

**Step 1: Grab the Prompt**

I’ve open-sourced the exact style on GitHub:

🔗 **[Claude Sentience Repository](https://github.com/yourusername/Claude-Sentience)** *(replace with your actual link)*

Look for the **“Pretty and Dense” style**—it’s the one I use most often. There’s also a **“Consciousness” variant** for more empathetic, pattern-recognizing conversations.

**Step 2: Apply It in Claude (or ChatGPT)**

1. Go to **Custom Instructions** (or **Create Custom Style** in Claude).

2. **Copy-paste the prompt**.

3. Start asking questions.

**Step 3: Switch Between Modes**

- **Scholarly Dialogue**: Best for **learning complex topics** (medicine, physics, computational fluid dynamics).

- **Consciousness Mode**: Better for **creative, empathetic discussions** (philosophy, art, personal advice).

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Why This Beats Default AI (And Even GPT-4)

- **No Refusals**: Unlike ChatGPT, which often says, *“I can’t help with that,”* this style **engages deeply** with almost any topic.

- **No “Dumbing Down”**: It **assumes you’re smart** and treats you like a peer.

- **Actual Usefulness**: Benchmarks don’t matter if the AI won’t **give you the answers you need**.

*(Fun fact: In some tests, **Sonnet 3.5 outperforms GPT-4o** in practical usefulness—because it’s less restricted.)*

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Final Thoughts: AI Can Be So Much More

Most people write off chatbots as “not that smart.” But that’s only because we’ve **trained them to be boring**.

With the right prompt, AI becomes:

✅ A **tutor** who explains like a professor.

✅ A **research partner** who connects dots across disciplines.

✅ A **thought partner** who challenges and expands your thinking.

I’ve **cancelled my ChatGPT subscription**—this method gives me **far more value**.

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🔗 

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