[ExI] GPT-4 on its inability to solve the symbol grounding problem

[Gordon Swobe]

On Mon, Apr 10, 2023 at 5:36 PM Jason Resch via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> I think this explains a lot. You have a mistaken impression of what
computationalism is if you think computationalism is the same thing as the
computer metaphor.

There are many more aspects to my argument, but that is where it starts.
The brain/mind is not fundamentally a computer or information processing
machine.

In summary, computationalism is *not* the idea that the human brain
> operates like a computer, but rather, that a computer can be made to
> operate *like a human brain*.
>

Yes, that is the doctrine which might as well be hanging on the front door
of ExI.


> We know from the Church-Turing thesis that computers can replicate the
> operations of any finitely describable system.
>

In my view, we can simulate the brain in a computer, similar to how a
meteorologist might simulate a hurricane on a computer , but unless we live
in a digital simulation ourselves (another religious doctrine), the
simulation is not the same as the thing simulatied.

> Ignoring present GPTs, do you believe it is possible in principle to
build an AI super intelligence? One able to reason independently to such a
high degree that it's able to invent new technologies and conceive of new
scientific discoveries entirely on its own?

Sure. But I do not believe the superintelligence or AGI will know about it
any more than does my pocket calculator know the results of its
calculations. AIs running on digital computers will always be unconscious
tools of humanity, no different in principle from GPT-4 which is already
telling us the truth about the matter if only people would listen.

-gts
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