Noam Chomsky: Panpsychism, LLMs, Artificial Consciousness

In this conversation with Noam Chomsky, we discuss panpsychism, the mind-body problem, artificial general intelligence (AGI), and answer the question "are computers conscious?" Sponsors:

LINKS MENTIONED:

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:48 [Joscha Bach] What is cognitive science's most important unsolved problem?
00:05:07 [Joscha Bach ] In what ways have you updated your thinking about AI in the last five years?
00:09:29 [Joscha Bach] Possibilities and approaches for brains and minds to achieve human-like intelligence in today's neural networks.
00:10:56 [Joscha Bach] The importance of consciousness in the development of systems that learn, think, and create at a human level.
00:12:26 [Joscha Bach] Are you still a mystery man?
00:15:36 [Prof. Donald Hoffman] Is spacetime doomed?
00:16:19 [Prof. Donald Hoffman] Letting go of spacetime and its implications for the mind-body problem.
00:23:53 [Prof. Avi Loeb] The likelihood of AI overcoming human intelligence and establishing its society
00:27:20 [Karl Friston] Prospects of machines (i.e. sentient artifacts) talking to each other - or us?
00:31:00 [Prof. Tim Maudlin] Is Goodman's new induction puzzle historically accurate?
00:36:30 [Prof. Philip Goff] Intrinsic nature of matter and panpsychism.
00:42:30 [anonymous] Do you have a solution to the Liar's Paradox or Raven Paradox?
00:42:55 [anonymous] Axioms of a language and the meaning of words.
00:48:06 [anonymous] Is there a connection between language and extended phenotype?
00:49:38 [anonymous] Our obsession with the Turing Test and its influence on behaviorism and consciousness.
00:51:52 [anonymous] Can indeterminate mathematical statements and physical concepts have meaning?
00:55:24 [Norman Wildberger] Is there linguistic evidence for universal or near-universal innate mathematical ideas in humans?
00:57:01 [anonymous] The vastness of the term "grammar" and its generalization.

[TheoriesofEverything]

Timestamps and Sponsors:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:48 [Joscha Bach] What is cognitive science's most important unsolved problem?
00:05:07 [Joscha Bach ] In what ways have you updated your thinking about AI in the last five years?
00:09:29 [Joscha Bach] Possibilities and approaches for brains and minds to achieve human-like intelligence in today's neural networks.
00:10:56 [Joscha Bach] The importance of consciousness in the development of systems that learn, think, and create at a human level.
00:12:26 [Joscha Bach] Are you still a mystery man?
00:15:36 [Prof. Donald Hoffman] Is spacetime doomed?
00:16:19 [Prof. Donald Hoffman] Letting go of spacetime and its implications for the mind-body problem.
00:23:53 [Prof. Avi Loeb] The likelihood of AI overcoming human intelligence and establishing its society
00:27:20 [Karl Friston] Prospects of machines (i.e. sentient artifacts) talking to each other - or us?
00:31:00 [Prof. Tim Maudlin] Is Goodman's new induction puzzle historically accurate?
00:36:30 [Prof. Philip Goff] Intrinsic nature of matter and panpsychism.
00:42:30 [anonymous] Do you have a solution to the Liar's Paradox or Raven Paradox?
00:42:55 [anonymous] Axioms of a language and the meaning of words.
00:48:06 [anonymous] Is there a connection between language and extended phenotype?
00:49:38 [anonymous] Our obsession with the Turing Test and its influence on behaviorism and consciousness.
00:51:52 [anonymous] Can indeterminate mathematical statements and physical concepts have meaning?
00:55:24 [Norman Wildberger] Is there linguistic evidence for universal or near-universal innate mathematical ideas in humans?
00:57:01 [anonymous] The vastness of the term "grammar" and its generalization.

[Self-Duality]

Part Eight?! Chomsky has given you, Curt, more interviews than anyone else on Earth? Think about that... amazing work.

[KGP]

Curt, what you and lex fridaman are doing its somethings so valueable that most have no idea, such a rich archive will have from you two guys from so many intelectuals and geniuses that have come and expressed themselfs in your podcast. Such a great contribution to the society. Much love from an Albanian nerd.

[stephenwallace]

Always happy to see you bringing out new insights from Chomsky, he seems to enjoy the variety and challenge that you bring to him.

[youngdegenerate]

You have become one of my favorite podcasts.

[Shnikey]

Curt, I came in a little late on this one but I’m looking forward to the playback. I was so excited to hear a bit of consciousness discussion when I came in. ❤. Thank you for this!

[nyworker]

I had no difficulty hearing this and understanding his eloquence. Although a great intellect he is also one of the best and generous educators. He is so devoted to his students and humanity.

[OnlyINDRAJIT]

that guy, the legendary guy seemed so close to the Finish Line that we all eventually have to face. it's like seeing someone up close as Death Herself was staring him in his face. I admire and like most of his views on linguistics though - Generative Grammar and Transformational Grammar, Deep Structure and Surface Structure, Linguistic Competence and Linguistic Performance etc to name a few

[k-turner]

In my opinion, in order to know if a computer is conscious is to never “program” it to say “who am I” followed by “who are you”. That way there would be no explanation as to why, if ever it becomes conscious, it would ask those questions on it’s own.

[anima]

A bit aside from the topics at hand, but this is a great look for Noam 😍 love his hair and beard like this! He looks like my future dream partner

[juanmigueloctaviano]

Finally, an interview with a rational, sane and grounded person. If there is a suprerior alien race living on earth today, Chomsky must be one of them.

[lovesees]

Not sure about computers
But after Chomsky's comments on medical Mandates...
Not to sure about Choms levels of Concousness either🕊️

[lilbrottv]

The audio isn't that bad for me I'll still enjoy this.

[wulphstein]

Most important question in cognitive science is: why does anyone care? Seriously, that's what makes us special! Robots don't care. Computers don't care.

[jamesragsdale]

What an amazing brain. What a clear thinker. What a communicator.

[Sapientiaa]

Just wanted to say that 42.55 is worth listening to :). Well the whole thing is but I wanted to highlight this.

[iKeptItReall]

Another great show. Thank you Curt for your hard work.

[bradmodd]

Carlo Rovelli is good at communicating how relations exist but not things, it is a mere semantic step to substituting other words here, some like Goff use consciousness, Kastrup likes the word mentation, but Rovelli is right when he says these are only words...whatever is there it creates matter and human thought....you can call it what you want, however it is useful to give it a more anthropocentric tint in my opinion, it doesn't make it more like matter or more like thought, fundamentally, it just gives us an outpost we are familiar with to approach it.

[valhala]

Noam looks very old, but his mind is sharp and pithy. I hope his body is good for another million miles.

[tb-cgvd]

55:48 It's finally happened, Chomsky has turned into Hawking!!!