The article discusses the intersection of large language models (LLMs) and philosophical concepts related to language and cultural transmission, particularly the unique human ability to build upon prior knowledge through cultural learning. Drawing on Tomasello's 'ratchet effect', it highlights how humans manage to accumulate knowledge over generations, a capacity not fully replicated in non-human primates or LLMs. The text explores these ideas within the context of challenges relating to nativism and language understanding, emphasizing both similarities and clear distinctions between human cognition and LLM capabilities.
Tomasello's 'ratchet effect' illustrates that while non-human primates can learn, only humans have unique predispositions enabling continuous knowledge building and transmission across generations.
This discussion reveals how LLMs, though capable of mimicking aspects of human-like understanding, may still lack the deeper cultural and contextual grounding inherent in human communication.
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