Patterson in Pursuit Is AI an Empirical Breakthrough in Philosophy? [Narration]
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Nov 9, 2025 Explore how GPT-4 may provide groundbreaking insights into philosophy and language. Steve contrasts formalism and contextualism, revealing how language embodies objective patterns akin to music. He discusses GPT-4's ability to uncover abstract structures without direct teaching, suggesting it lends support to Platonism. The conversation touches on the implications for restoring meaning in mathematics and even hints at language's powerful role in religious contexts, urging a scientific approach to investigate these profound ideas.
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Beyond Extreme Contextualism
- Contextualist views downplay intrinsic meaning, but AI shows patterns beyond mere local contexts.
- While formatting varies, underlying objective patterns allow cross-linguistic precision.
Objective Patterns Hidden In Language
- GPT-4 reveals objective, discoverable patterns embedded in human language across contexts.
- The model finds abstract structures in our sloppy text and uses them to solve unexpected problems.
Language Patterns Like Musical Beats
- Cultural variation in language mirrors musical variations that still share objective patterns.
- Common structures like rhythmic beats appear across disparate expressive systems.