I explored the topic of chronological order a bit more. ChatGPT does seem to have a confused mental model here:

Given three events at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm, in which order do these events occur?

The order in which events occur depends on their specific circumstances and cannot be determined based on the information provided. In general, events that are listed in chronological order are assumed to occur in that order, but without more information about the events in question it is impossible to say for certain.

Don’t events always happen in chronological order?

In most cases, events are assumed to happen in chronological order, meaning that they occur in the order in which they are listed or described. However, this is not always the case. It is possible for events to occur out of order, or for multiple events to occur simultaneously. For example, if two people are having a conversation, each person's words and actions would be considered separate events, but they would be happening at the same time. Additionally, in some cases events may be deliberately presented out of chronological order in order to create a specific effect, such as suspense or surprise.

But even when events are *presented* out of chronological order, they still *happen* in chronological order in the world where they happen?

Yes, you are correct. Even when events are presented out of chronological order, they still happen in chronological order in the real world. For example, if a story is told out of chronological order, the events in the story still happened in the order in which they are presented, even though the story does not unfold in that order. In cases like this, the non-chronological presentation of the events is a literary device used to create a specific effect, but the events themselves still happen in the order in which they are presented.

Can you give examples where events don’t happen in their chronological order?

There are many examples of events occurring out of chronological order. Here are a few:

- In literature, stories and narratives are often presented out of chronological order in order to create a specific effect, such as suspense or surprise. For example, a story might begin at the end and then move backwards in time, or it might jump back and forth between different points in time.

- In film and television, scenes are often shown out of chronological order in order to create a specific effect or to make the story more interesting. For example, a scene might be shown out of order to create suspense or to reveal information in a way that is surprising to the viewer.

- In real life, events sometimes happen out of order due to factors such as coincidence or random chance. For example, two people might have a conversation in which one person says something and the other person responds, but the order in which the words are spoken does not necessarily reflect the order in which the events occurred.

In all of these cases, the events themselves still happen in chronological order, but the way in which they are presented or experienced is out of order.

You gave examples where events aren’t *presented* in their chronological order, but they do *happen* in their chronological order. Can you give examples that do not rely on the presentation order?

Yes, there are many examples of events happening out of order in the real world, independent of how they are presented. Here are a few:

- In some cases, events may happen simultaneously, rather than in a specific order. For example, two people might have a conversation at the same time, with each person speaking and listening at the same time.

- In other cases, events may happen out of order due to factors such as coincidence or random chance. For example, two people might have a conversation in which one person says something and the other person responds, but the order in which the words are spoken does not necessarily reflect the order in which the events occurred.

- In still other cases, events may be deliberately planned or arranged to happen out of order in order to achieve a specific goal. For example, a musician might perform a song in a non-chronological order in order to create a unique and interesting sound.

In all of these cases, the events themselves are happening out of order, regardless of how they are presented or experienced.