The Push That Makes Us Think
Intelligence isn't about absorbing patterns. It emerges from testing boundaries and discovering constraints. Whether physical or abstract, all understanding comes from having something to push against.Photo Credit: Rob Grzywinski
Here's the thing about intelligence, about learning, about that magical moment when understanding clicks — it never happens in isolation. It happens in the push and pull, in the back-and-forth between mind and world, between intention and resistance.we're trying to teach our AI systems by essentially making them sit quietly and read booksThink about a child learning to walk. They're not studying walking. They're not watching PowerPoint presentations about optimal foot placement. They're pushing against gravity, against their own limitations, falling down and getting up, each attempt a conversation with the physical world.And here we are, in our infinite wisdom, trying to teach our AI systems by essentially making them sit quietly and read books. We're treating them like those poor kids in the strictest Victorian schools: "Here, memorize these patterns. No questions. No exploration. Just absorb."But what if — and this is where it gets interesting — what if we've been missing something beautifully obvious? We're starting to figure it out with robots. We're beginning to understand that they need something to push against, just like that toddler learning to walk. They need to bump into things, to try and fail and try again.Here's where the magic happens: this isn't just about robots. This is about all intelligence, all learning, all understanding. Whether we're dealing with physical space or the abstract realm of language and logic, the principle is the same — intelligence emerges from interaction, from that dance between attempt and boundary.But how do we create an environment where minds can push against something that isn't physical? How do we build a space where ideas can stumble and fall and get up again, just like that toddler learning to walk? We need something that can capture the essence of mental boundaries, of logical constraints, of the invisible rules that shape thought itself.This is where tools like Answer Set Programming come in. ASP isn't just another programming language. It's one way to create those mental boundaries, to give our AI systems something to push against in the realm of pure thought. Just as we're building physical environments for robots to learn in, we need to build logical environments where language models can grow, explore, and yes, even fail.intelligence emerges from interactionThink of it like a playground for ideas, where the slides and swings are made of logic and reason instead of metal and plastic. Where every attempt to solve a problem is like that toddler's wobbly step — a move against resistance that builds understanding through interaction.We're not just changing how we train AI. We're finally understanding how learning really works. And once you see it, you can't unsee it. It's everywhere — in every creative act, in every discovery, in every moment of true understanding.
