Misquote in ‘Two Guesses About Creativity’

Jun 03, 2026 · By Dennis Hackethal · Fork · Check another quote

Original text

The upshot is that, unlike any functionality that has ever been programmed to date, this one can be achieved neither by a specification nor a test of the outputs. What is needed is nothing less than a breakthrough in philosophy, a new epistemological theory that explains how brains create explanatory knowledge and hence defines, in principle, without ever running them as programs, which algorithms possess that functionality and which do not.
https://aeon.co/essays/how-close-are-we-to-creating-artificial-intelligence

Quote text

[Unlike] any functionality that has ever been programmed to date, [creativity] can be achieved neither by a specification nor a test of the outputs. What is needed is nothing less than a breakthrough in philosophy, a new epistemological theory that explains how brains create explanatory knowledge and hence defines, in principle, without ever running them as programs, which algorithms possess that functionality and which do not.
https://blog.dennishackethal.com/posts/two-guesses-about-creativity
Ellipsis used (if any): ‘[...]’
Found 6 issue(s) using regular expression . and Myers algorithm, underlined in wavy red. 
The‧upshot‧is‧that,‧unlike[Unlike]‧any‧functionality‧that‧has‧ever‧been‧programmed‧to‧date,‧this‧one[creativity]‧can‧be‧achieved‧neither‧by‧a‧specification‧nor‧a‧test‧of‧the‧outputs.‧What‧is‧needed‧is‧nothing‧less‧than‧a‧breakthrough‧in‧philosophy,‧a‧new‧epistemological‧theory‧that‧explains *how* brains‧create‧explanatory‧knowledge‧and‧hence‧defines,‧in‧principle,‧without‧ever‧running‧them‧as‧programs,‧ *which * algorithms* ‧possess‧that‧functionality‧and‧which‧do‧not.

Explanation

# Part Valid? Explanation
1 
The‧upshot‧is‧that,‧unlike
 ✓ yes Deletion is followed by a valid insertion.
2 
[Unlike]
 ✓ yes Insertion is properly bracketed.
3 
‧any‧functionality‧that‧has‧ever‧been‧programmed‧to‧date,‧
4 
this‧one
 ✓ yes Deletion is followed by a valid insertion.
5 
[creativity]
 ✓ yes Insertion is properly bracketed.
6 
‧can‧be‧achieved‧neither‧by‧a‧specification‧nor‧a‧test‧of‧the‧outputs.‧What‧is‧needed‧is‧nothing‧less‧than‧a‧breakthrough‧in‧philosophy,‧a‧new‧epistemological‧theory‧that‧explains *how* brains‧create‧explanatory‧knowledge‧and‧hence‧defines,‧in‧principle,‧without‧ever‧running‧them‧as‧programs,
7 
‧
 × no Deletions must be indicated, eg by ‘[...]’ or [replacement].
8 
 *
 × no Insertions must be surrounded by [brackets].
9 
which
10 
 
 × no Deletions must be indicated, eg by ‘[...]’ or [replacement].
11 
*
12 
 
 × no Insertions must be surrounded by [brackets].
13 
algorithms
14 
* 
 × no Deletions must be indicated, eg by ‘[...]’ or [replacement].
15 
‧
 × no A single added space must either follow or precede a valid insertion.
16 
possess‧that‧functionality‧and‧which‧do‧not.

Notes

Wrong emphasis

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