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by setracer 698 days ago
The brain doesn't have a CPU-like architecture doing symbolic reasoning. In fact, we now offload this kind of reasoning to computers because they do. If you want to create human-level AI, this is not the way. You'll be able to create really powerful and useful niche systems like Deepmind has, but not a truly general reasoning machine.
2 comments
godelski 697 days ago
> The brain doesn't have a CPU-like architecture doing symbolic reasoning.

While I agree with the first part I'm not convinced of the second. Can you elaborate? I'm fairly certain people write down symbols on paper (or chalkboards or computer screens), manipulate those symbols, and then uncover new laws of physics[0].

> we now offload this kind of reasoning to computers because they do.

Do we? I'd also like this elaborated on. I do not disagree that we offload computation, but I'm not convinced we offload reasoning. There are automated reasoning systems but they are still human directed and I should mention are symbolic in nature.

I also want to make sure we're using the word "reasoning" to refer to the same thing. I am using the definition from here[1] which is congruent with this[2]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_symbol_system

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_reasoning

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localfirst 698 days ago
All reasoning requires self-awareness, how can you cause electric circuits to become self-aware when you can't replicate the "awakeness" that is intrinsic to all sentient beings?

In other words, how can AI tap into the hyper-dimensional knowledge plane that we access with our consciousness first and then vocalize into sounds and letters?

You can RAG what is written only but not what was "thought" to write those letters and so you cannot have a purely rationalizing and reasoning electrical circuit that function like the biological brains.

It's like feeding magic mushrooms to a robot and expecting it to become conscious. There is no bio-chem pathways to activate the pineal gland nor is it possible to mimic it even.

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