Why do we tell ourselves scary stories about AI?

Post by dclowd9901 » Mon, Apr 13, 2026, 11:43 PM UTC

munksbeer wrote: post #95

dclowd9901 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because they don't _understand_ things. If I teach an LLM that 3+5 is 8, it doesn't "get" that 4+5 is 9 (leave aside the details here, as I'm explaining for effect). It needs to be taught that as well, and so on. We understand exactly everything that goes into how LLMs generate answers. The line of consciousness, as we understand it, is understanding. And as far as what actually constitutes consciousness, we're not e…

> The line of consciousness, as we understand it, is understanding. Is it? I'm no expert, by any stretch, but where does this theory come from? I don't think anyone knows what consciousness is, or why we appear to have it, or even if we do have it. I don't even know that you're conscious. I could be the only conscious being in the universe and the rest of you are just zombies, with all the right external outputs to f…

Post by munksbeer » Tue, Apr 14, 2026, 9:13 AM UTC

dclowd9901 wrote: post #131

munksbeer wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The line of consciousness, as we understand it, is understanding. Is it? I'm no expert, by any stretch, but where does this theory come from? I don't think anyone knows what consciousness is, or why we appear to have it, or even if we do have it. I don't even know that you're conscious. I could be the only conscious being in the universe and the rest of you are just zombies, with all the right external outputs to f…

Well we're not. Theory of mind is _understanding_ you're not.