This brings me back to learning some philosophy of language and specifically Wittgenstein's idea of language games. Yes, we use language to model our experience of the world, but it's also based on how we expect social interactions to play out, and we adjust our language based on others' reactions. - ThreadSky

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rollercoasterphilosophy.com • 12 hours ago

This brings me back to learning some philosophy of language and specifically Wittgenstein's idea of language games.

Yes, we use language to model our experience of the world, but it's also based on how we expect social interactions to play out, and we adjust our language based on others' reactions.

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rollercoasterphilosophy.com•12 hours ago

If you say "cup" and I'm confused until I say "oh, you mean a mug" then you're probably disappointed that this language didn't have the social action you expected and you're going to use "mug" from then on, at least around me.

rollercoasterphilosophy.com•12 hours ago

It also easily solves the "is a hot dog a sandwich" debate, since it completely sidesteps issues of construction or physical properties between the two, and simply asks "would you call a hot dog a sandwich in mixed company and expect a normal reaction?"

rollercoasterphilosophy.com•12 hours ago

In that way AI does seem a little bit closer to the language game model, but even there it's far more limited because the only social actions it can process are approval or disapproval. It doesn't exist socially in a world where it uses language to influence many possible actions of those around it.

rollercoasterphilosophy.com•12 hours ago

Like obviously large language models don't work anything like human learning if only for the simple fact that the human brain works nothing like a computer chip.

People used to compare brains to steam engines (i.e. let off steam), it's just whatever the most advanced tech of the day happened to be.

davecobb.com•10 hours ago

Thanks for all that. The social-cue aspect of learning and communicating is something that AI *simulates* (or at least they want it to in chat-bots), but there’s always going to be an uncanny valley of sorts

davecobb.com•10 hours ago

I’m all for AI being used in things like science and research, and even in creative problem-solving to a certain point. It should augment and assist human effort, not supplant it.

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