A Reflection

Apple recently published a paper titled "The Illusion of Thinking", arguing that the Large Langue Models (such as ChatGPT) do not actually engage in human-like thinking but merely function as sophisticated pattern recognisers. In response, Anthropic released a rebuttal titled "The Illusion of the Illusion of Thinking", pointing out the flaws and oversimplifications in Apple’s conclusions.

What first caught my attention were the titles themselves — not just provocative, but echoing something older and deeper. They immediately reminded me of the legendary intellectual clash between Al-Ghazali and Ibn Rushd.

In the 12th century, Al-Ghazali authored "The Incoherence of the Philosophers", challenging the rationalist tradition of Islamic thought. Ibn Rushd responded with his iconic rebuttal, "The Incoherence of the Inchoherence" — a bold defence of reason against rising theological orthodoxy.

8th to 13th century marked the golden age of Muslim intellectualism — when the Muslim world led the globe in metaphysics, logic, medicine, astronomy, and epistemology. Minds were alive with inquiry, and disagreement was a sign of vitality. The debates were fierce, the scholarship rigorous, and the result was a civilization that refined old wisdom while daring to explore new frontiers. It was a civilisation that questioned, argued, and evolved.

But time passed — and stagnation crept in. The once-vibrant tradition gave way to dogmatic conservatism. While Europe awakened to the Renaissance and built upon the very works once nurtured in Baghdad and Cordoba, the Muslim world, burdened with dogmatic conservatism, turned inward. New ideas were no longer welcomed; old frameworks calcified.

And now, in the 21st century, while much of the Muslim world still continues to circle around ancient debates on the scope and limits of human reason, the broader world has moved on — asking whether machines can reason or not ! What a staggering contrast. The civilization that once pioneered algebra, optics, and empirical medicine now watches from the sidelines as humanity debates artificial intelligence.

What an incredible progress for the world, and what a sobering reminder of intellectual decline for a civilization that once led it!