Minds, Machines & Metaphors: Limits of AI Understanding
2024 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
This essay critically examines the limitations of artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving human-like understanding and intelligence. Despite significant advancements in AI, such as the development of sophisticated machine learning algorithms and neural networks, current systems fall short in comprehending the cognitive depth and flexibility inherent in human intelligence. Through an exploration of historical and contemporary arguments, including Searle's Chinese Room thought experiment and Dennett's Frame Problem, this essay highlights the inherent differences between human cognition and AI. Central to this analysis is the role of metaphorical thinking and embodied cognition, as articulated by Lakoff and Johnson, which are fundamental to human understanding but absent in AI. Proponents of AGI, like Kurzweil and Bostrom, argue for the potential of AI to surpass human intelligence through recursive self-improvement and technological integration. However, this essay contends that these approaches do not address the core issues of experiential knowledge and contextual awareness. By integrating insights from contemporary scholars like Bender, Koller, Buckner, Thorstad, and Hoffmann, the essay ultimately concludes that AI, while a powerful computational framework, is fundamentally incapaple of replicating the true intelligence and understanding unique to humans.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2024. , p. 38
Keywords [en]
AI understanding; Chinese Room; Frame Problem; Metaphors; Experiential knowledge; Artificial General Intelligence; AGI; Artificial Superintelligence; ASI; Contextual awareness; Intelligence; AI potential; AI transparency; AI generalization; Mechanics of mind; Mechanical minds; Computational mind; Syntactic processing; Semantic comprehension; Embodied cognition; Human cognition; Superintelligence; Singularity; AI interpretability; Intentionality; Large Language Models; LLM; Deep Neural Networks; DNN; Neural nets; Cognitive processes; Embodied experience; AI contextualization.
National Category
Philosophy
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-227393OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-227393DiVA, id: diva2:1878889
Subject / course
Philosophy
Supervisors
Examiners
2024-06-272024-06-272024-06-27Bibliographically approved