280 | François Chollet on Deep Learning and the Meaning of Intelligence
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
Failing Is Learning: Embrace the Struggle
To truly grow and develop understanding, one should proactively engage with failure rather than shy away from it. Many individuals avoid challenges that may lead to failure, opting instead to cling to what they already know works, which perpetuates an inaccurate self-assessment of their skills. This avoidance can lead to a misguided belief that systems, like language models, comprehend everything perfectly. In reality, while these models possess a degree of capability, they do not embody true intelligence. Intelligence should be viewed not just as a collection of skills or tasks completed, but rather as the adaptability to learn and respond to entirely new and unforeseen challenges. True intelligence is demonstrated through the capacity to acquire new skills and adjust to novel situations rather than merely excelling at familiar tasks.
