| Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revision |
| public:t-709-aies-2024:aies-2024:autonomy-meaning [2024/10/23 21:41] – [Cognitive / Operational Autonomy] thorisson | public:t-709-aies-2024:aies-2024:autonomy-meaning [2024/10/23 21:45] (current) – [Meaning] thorisson |
|---|
| | Producing Meaning | Meaning is produced through a //process of understanding// using reasoning over causal relations, to produce implications in the //now//. \\ As time passes, meaning changes and must be re-computed. | | | Producing Meaning | Meaning is produced through a //process of understanding// using reasoning over causal relations, to produce implications in the //now//. \\ As time passes, meaning changes and must be re-computed. | |
| | Causal Relations | The relationship between two or more differentiable events such that one of them can (reasonably reliably) produce the other. \\ One event **E**, the //cause//, must come before another event **E'**, the //effect//, where **E** can (reasonably reliably) be used to produce **E'**. | | | Causal Relations | The relationship between two or more differentiable events such that one of them can (reasonably reliably) produce the other. \\ One event **E**, the //cause//, must come before another event **E'**, the //effect//, where **E** can (reasonably reliably) be used to produce **E'**. | |
| | Theory of Foundational Meaning | Foundational meaning is the meaning of anything to an agent. \\ Meaning is generated through a process when causal-relational models are used to compute the //implications// of some action, state, event, etc. \\ Any meaning-producing agent extracts meaning when the implications //interact with its goals// in some way (preventing them, enhancing them, shifting them, ...). | | | \\ Foundational Meaning | Foundational meaning is the meaning of anything to an agent - often contrasted with "semantic meaning" or "symbolic meaning", which is the meaning of symbols or language. \\ The latter rests on the former. \\ Meaning is generated through a process when causal-relational models are used to compute the //implications// of some action, state, event, etc. \\ Any meaning-producing agent extracts meaning when the implications //interact with its goals// in some way (preventing them, enhancing them, shifting them, ...). | |
| |
| \\ | \\ |
| | In Everyday Life | A concept that people use all the time about each other's cognition. With respect to achieving a task, given that the target of the understanding is all or some aspects of the task, more of it is generally considered better than less of it. \\ To consistently solve problems regarding a phenomenon **X** requires //understanding // **X**. \\ Understanding **X** means the ability to extract and analyze the //meaning// of any phenomena **P** related to **X**. | | | In Everyday Life | A concept that people use all the time about each other's cognition. With respect to achieving a task, given that the target of the understanding is all or some aspects of the task, more of it is generally considered better than less of it. \\ To consistently solve problems regarding a phenomenon **X** requires //understanding // **X**. \\ Understanding **X** means the ability to extract and analyze the //meaning// of any phenomena **P** related to **X**. | |
| | What Does It Mean? | No well-known scientific theory exists. \\ Normally we do not hand control of anything over to anyone who doesn't understand it. All other things being equal, this is a recipe for disaster. | | | What Does It Mean? | No well-known scientific theory exists. \\ Normally we do not hand control of anything over to anyone who doesn't understand it. All other things being equal, this is a recipe for disaster. | |
| | Pragmatic Theory of Understanding | Understanding involves the manipulation of causal-relational models, for the purposes of four categories of goals: \\ - Predicting \\ - Achieving goals \\ - Explaining \\ - (Re)creating | | |
| | Evaluating Understanding | Understanding any **X** can be evaluated along four dimensions: \\ 1. Being able to predict **X**, \\ 2. being able to achieve goals with respect to **X**, \\ 3. being able to explain **X**, and \\ 4. being able to "re-create" **X** ("re-create" here means e.g. creating a simulation that produces **X** and many or all its side-effects.) | | | Evaluating Understanding | Understanding any **X** can be evaluated along four dimensions: \\ 1. Being able to predict **X**, \\ 2. being able to achieve goals with respect to **X**, \\ 3. being able to explain **X**, and \\ 4. being able to "re-create" **X** ("re-create" here means e.g. creating a simulation that produces **X** and many or all its side-effects.) | |
| | In AI | Understanding as a concept has been neglected in AI. \\ Contemporary AI systems do not //understand//. \\ The concept seems crucial when talking about human intelligence; the concept holds explanatory power - we do not assign responsibilities for a task to someone or something with a demonstrated lack of understanding of the task. Moreover, the level of understanding can be evaluated. \\ Understanding of a particular phenomenon **P** is the potential to perform actions and answer questions with respect to **P**. Example: Which is heavier, 1kg of iron or 1kg of feathers? || | | \\ \\ In AI | Understanding as a concept has been neglected in AI. \\ Contemporary AI systems do not //understand//. \\ The concept seems crucial when talking about human intelligence; the concept holds explanatory power - we do not assign responsibilities for a task to someone or something with a demonstrated lack of understanding of the task. Moreover, the level of understanding can be evaluated. \\ Understanding of a particular phenomenon **P** is the potential to perform actions and answer questions with respect to **P**. Example: Which is heavier, 1kg of iron or 1kg of feathers? || |
| | Bottom Line | Can't talk about intelligence without talking about understanding. \\ Can't talk about understanding without talking about meaning. | | | Bottom Line | Can't talk about intelligence without talking about understanding. \\ Can't talk about understanding without talking about meaning. | |
| |
