Elan Barenholtz
Professor proposing that language is a self-generating organism that uses us. He argues that language installs itself in our minds like software, runs autonomously, and shapes behavior.
Best podcasts with Elan Barenholtz
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114 snips
Jun 13, 2025 • 2h 32min
The Theory That Shatters Language Itself
Elan Barenholtz, a cognitive scientist at Florida Atlantic University, dives deep into the unsettling idea that language operates as a self-contained system, detached from the external world. He reveals how AI can generate language devoid of inherent meaning, prompting a reevaluation of mind and perception. The conversation covers the fluidity of language, its relationship with sensory experiences, and the fascinating dynamics of language models. Barenholtz challenges traditional perceptions and highlights the complexities of understanding reality through linguistic constructs.
67 snips
Jul 22, 2025 • 1h 13min
The (Terrifying) Theory That Your Thoughts Were Never Your Own
Professors Elan Barenholtz and William Hahn dive deep into a radical idea: what if language shapes our thoughts and behavior like an autonomous software? Barenholtz argues that language operates independently in our minds, while Hahn extends this to virtual machines, suggesting consciousness is just one among many running programs. They discuss cognition as a dynamic output rather than mere storage, questioning how concepts like memory and even God could just be tokens in a vast informational system. Their insights challenge our understanding of self and reality.
