Scott Alexander explores the similarities between Wernicke's aphasia and GPT-3's language use, while noting that GPT-3's capabilities likely surpass this neurological comparison.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the two major brain areas involved in language processing: Wernicke's area (handling meaning) and Broca's area (handling structure and flow). He describes how damage to each area results in different types of language impairment, with particular focus on Wernicke's aphasia, where speech retains normal structure but lacks meaning. Scott draws a parallel between this condition and the eerie feeling some people get from GPT-3's language use. However, he concludes that GPT-3's capabilities are likely beyond the simple Broca's/Wernicke's dichotomy, though he expresses interest in understanding the computational considerations behind this neurological split.
Shorter summary