Words Without Knowledge: Augustine and the Use of Language in the Age of LLMs

"In fact, an explanation of the nature of language in which knowledge and use are not necessarily linked was put forward in the past by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE). He argued that it is possible to use language in a justified manner without the user acquiring any knowledge from it. Augustine took this thesis even further, developing a t"

In 2022, a claim that an AI system was conscious was presented as credible, but the basis for such a conclusion needs careful support. A key requirement is distinguishing language from meaning, since language can be treated as a formal structure while meaning depends on understanding relationships between objects and context. Philosophical views that connect understanding to rule-following within socio-cultural settings have been influential, but increasing AI complexity motivates revisiting that hegemony. Augustine of Hippo previously argued that language can be used in a justified way without the user acquiring knowledge from it, separating use from understanding. This separation challenges assumptions that conversational competence implies consciousness or understanding.

Read at Apaonline