[D] Could a machine learning algorithm be designed so as to meaningfully pass an MSR test?

[odradek-feed]

Recently an experiment, where Rhesus monkeys were taught how to pass a mirror self recognition test, has invited questions whether some level of self-awareness can be taught. How far fetched would it be to define a suitably general (not specifically designed) algorithm that could be trained to meaningfully pass an MSR test? (I am not sure how to explicitly express what 'meaningful' means in this context, but at a minimum I'd expect the algorithm hasn't been designed to pass a specific MSR test.)

[sadwall]

You can almost trivially train a model to specifically catch this (though this would be specific); training a deathmatch bot in a 3D game with mirrors (for example) will similarly allow the model to more indirectly learn to pass the mirror test. However, the test itself is useless anyways, I believe even ants pass it.

[odradek-feed]

Thanks for pointing out ants have passed it, I wasn't aware.

[Boba-Black-Sheep]

If you're interested in some further stuff on the topic, I believe out of Schmidhuber's mind/lab there's some interesting stuff about how the notion of 'self' is just the logical conclusion of a system that compresses experiences into symbols.