Mmm donuts

The language and the symbols are simply the tools to learn the inherent truths. You can change the symbols but the rules beneath will be the same. Doesn’t matter if one is called “one” or “zarg” or “egg”. It still means one. With regards LLMs I am very interested to see how far they can extend the context windows and if there are possibilities for long-term memory.

Whilst this is correct, 1+1=2 will still be true whether there is someone to observe it or not.

It absolutely is not.

That is one school of thought certainly. There are plenty in academia who argue that maths is fundamental

This is largely semantic trickery though. Using apples is just an easy way for children to learn the fundament that 1+1=2. Your example doesn’t really hold up since a pile of sand is not really a mathematical concept. What you are actually talking about is 1 billion grains of sand + 1 billion grains of sand. Put them together and you will definitely find 2 billion grains of sand. The fundamental mathematical principles hidden behind the language hold true

This is not correct at all. From a young age people learn the principles of mathematics, usually through the manipulation of physical objects. They learn numerical symbols and how these connect to real-world items e.g. if I have 1 of anything and add 1 more to it I have 2. Adding 1 more each time increases the symbolic value by 1 increment. That is a rule of mathematics that we learn very young and can apply in many situations

Lol what a bizarre request

I think AGI (depending on your definition) is pretty close already. As you’ve alluded to, we may never get ASI. I’m not sure that matters really. Singularity suggests a point where the tech is indistinguishable from magic e.g. nanotech, ftl travel etc. I don’t think we need that kind of event to fundamentally re-shape society, as others have said

No! Not like that!

Exactly. If it looks like a dog and barks like a dog, then we may as well call it a dog

Recent study suggests otherwise doesn’t it? Yet to be confirmed independently I guess, but hasn’t it very recently been posited (maybe also evidenced) that black holes are driving expansion by returning energy to the quantum vacuum? Does this not mean expansion would indeed be physical?

Such a good bot

Unless you’re just a plain ol’ psychopath. In which case being cruel is just for funs

Not always true either.

That hasn’t really been the case for some time now

Is it not reasonable to posit that AGI doesn’t need consciousness though? Notwithstanding we aren’t yet clear exactly what it is, but there doesn’t seem to be a logical requirement for AGI to have consciousness. Having said that, I would agree that a “language mimic” is probably very far away from AGI and that some kind of LTM, as well as multi-mode sensory input, cross referencing and feedback is probably a pre-requisite.