Ulf Hlobil: Why Machines Cannot Think

ABSTRACT: I argue that machines (focusing on LLMs) cannot think because they cannot participate in the practice of giving and asking for reasons. They cannot participate in this practice because they cannot genuinely violate (and hence not follow) any norms. Machines cannot violate norms because they cannot be responsible for what they do; and they cannot be responsible for what they do because the idea of holding them responsible does not apply to machines. For, holding someone (or something) responsible make sense only where the idea of well-being applies. The idea of well-being, however, does not apply to machines.

This LMS Centre talk is financially supported by the project OP JAK: Knowledge in the Age of Distrust, CZ.02.01.01/00/23_025/0008711.