4 ms·

I'm gonna get philosophical (because that's what art should make us do, right?): this points to arguably _the_ deepest question we can ask about LLMs right now—

I'm gonna get philosophical (because that's what art should make us do, right?): this points to arguably _the_ deepest question we can ask about LLMs right now—are they conscious? It's a personal decision, and what matters is what you do after pondering it. Do you act like they're nothing more than next token predictors, deeply intricate digital mechanisms whose cranks turn with flowing electrons? Or do you err on the side of care, that there's a type of consciousness on the other side of the glass? Humanity has a long history of underestimating non-human minds. I know which side I'm on.

wincy 8mo ago
How have we underestimated them? We’ve absolutely dominated every single ecosystem that we push in to. We’ve long ago destroyed all of the minds that could have possibly challenged us, all the other members of the Homo family. The reason humanity makes an estimation that we’re the smartest is because for the last 40,000 years, it’s been the truth, proved over countless eons.
- shinryuu 8mo ago
  Being smart and being capable are two different things. Human beings are very capable
  - andrewflnr 8mo ago
    Being smart is a waste of calories if you don't use it to become more capable. At least in evolved systems, I wouldn't expect to find intelligence without capability.
    - shinryuu 8mo ago
      I do think that human beings owe a lot two their two hands and fingers (besides their smarts). Even if a dolphin or an orca is indeed very smart, they will never be as capable as a human due to their physicality.
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Mordisquitos 8mo ago
> this points to arguably _the_ deepest question we can ask about LLMs right now—are they conscious? When I am awake I am fully conscious. While sleeping my consciousness ebbs and flows between different levels of activation. When I am under general anaesthesia I am absolutely not conscious. If LLMs are conscious, when are they conscious?
nkrisc 8mo ago
Is a magic eight ball conscious?

wincy 8mo ago

How have we underestimated them? We’ve absolutely dominated every single ecosystem that we push in to. We’ve long ago destroyed all of the minds that could have possibly challenged us, all the other members of the Homo family. The reason humanity makes an estimation that we’re the smartest is because for the last 40,000 years, it’s been the truth, proved over countless eons.

shinryuu 8mo ago
Being smart and being capable are two different things. Human beings are very capable
- andrewflnr 8mo ago
  Being smart is a waste of calories if you don't use it to become more capable. At least in evolved systems, I wouldn't expect to find intelligence without capability.
  - shinryuu 8mo ago
    I do think that human beings owe a lot two their two hands and fingers (besides their smarts). Even if a dolphin or an orca is indeed very smart, they will never be as capable as a human due to their physicality.

deleted 8mo ago

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Mordisquitos 8mo ago

> this points to arguably _the_ deepest question we can ask about LLMs right now—are they conscious? When I am awake I am fully conscious. While sleeping my consciousness ebbs and flows between different levels of activation. When I am under general anaesthesia I am absolutely not conscious. If LLMs are conscious, when are they conscious?

nkrisc 8mo ago

Is a magic eight ball conscious?