AI and the existential question about languagetrace.yshui.dev 5 pointsyshui1 year ago1 commentSaveHideCopy link On HNComments−andsoitis1yImagine someone who was deprived of all sensory inputs, and has only ever been fed language (speech or text) - would they be able to "understand" it?Complete sensory deprivation is unlikely survivable:- Pain sensation is crucial for survival (prevents injury)- Proprioception is needed for basic motor function- Some sensory input appears necessary for normal brain development- Complete sensory deprivation would likely result in severe developmental issues incompatible with lifeThere's no documented case of a human who has lived with absolutely zero sensory input from birth or throughout their life.
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Complete sensory deprivation is unlikely survivable:
- Pain sensation is crucial for survival (prevents injury)
- Proprioception is needed for basic motor function
- Some sensory input appears necessary for normal brain development
- Complete sensory deprivation would likely result in severe developmental issues incompatible with life
There's no documented case of a human who has lived with absolutely zero sensory input from birth or throughout their life.