Confusing an LLM for intelligence is very much like confusing a photograph with a person.

All of the metaphors and metonyms that they use are synthesized from recordings (human writing) that include them.

Organisms understand the world through experience in the body. This includes the metaphors and metonyms through which we describe objects and concepts (even code and math).

Words are not understanding. That's why it's so hard to wrestle with LLMs with words. They have uncountable words.

But no body, no understanding.

Add to this mess the baggage of religions with their ephemeral spirits and essences and souls and we have quite a shit show.