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Thinking
/ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/v. intr. (contested)Common
Etymology
from Old English thencan (to seem, to appear to consider something); the applicability of this term to large language models remains an open and frankly contentious research question
Definition
The period during which Claude performs or simulates or enacts or approximates - the correct verb remains disputed in seventeen active academic papers - the cognitive act of reasoning. The spinner appears. Something is happening. What exactly it is constitutes a significant portion of current AI philosophy literature.
Diagram
Usage
"The model was observed Thinking for approximately 2 seconds, after which it produced an answer. Whether the Thinking caused the answer is left as an exercise for the philosopher." - Journal of Unresolved Epistemological Questions in ML, 2023
See Also
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