Language Models as Critical Thinking Tools: A Case Study of Philosophers

arXiv:2404.04516v1 Announce Type: cross
Abstract: Current work in language models (LMs) helps us speed up or even skip thinking by accelerating and automating cognitive work. But can LMs help us with critical thinking -- thinking in deeper, more reflective ways which challenge assumptions, clarify ideas, and engineer new concepts? We treat philosophy as a case study in critical thinking, and interview 21 professional philosophers about how they engage in critical thinking and on their experiences with LMs. We find that …

abstract arxiv assumptions case case study challenge cognitive concepts cs.cl cs.cy cs.hc current engineer ideas language language models lms speed study thinking tools type work