Karl Friston: Me and my Markov blanket

Abstract: This presentation offers a heuristic proof (and simulations of a primordial soup) suggesting that life-or biological self-organization-is an inevitable and emergent property of any (weakly mixing) random dynamical system that possesses a Markov blanket. This conclusion is based on the following arguments: if a system can be differentiated from its external milieu, heat bath, or environment, then the system’s internal and external states must be conditionally independent. These independencies induce a Markov blanket that separates internal and external states. This separation means that internal states will appear to minimize a free energy functional of blanket states - via a variational principle of stationary action. Crucially, this equips internal states with an information geometry, pertaining to probabilistic beliefs about something; namely external states. Interestingly, this free energy is the same quantity that is optimized in Bayesian inference and machine learning (where it is known as evidence lower bound). In short, internal states (and their Markov blanket) will appear to model-and act on-their world to preserve their functional and structural integrity. This leads to Bayesian mechanics, which can be neatly summarised as self-evidencing.
#UManitoba #UManitobaSci #ScienceTalks

[@thomassoliton1482]

Came to this fascinating talk via Mark Solms book “Hidden Spring”. As a neuroscientist, I understand the basic concepts, but would re-name the components “hidden” as “external reality”, “blanket” as “interface” = “sensory” and “motor”, and “internal” = self / homeostat. What strikes me is how closely this parallels “theories” by e.g. Hoffman, Kastrup, and various religious proponents proclaiming “external reality” doesn’t really exist, it is all a product of “universal consciousness” - e.g. our brain = a dashboard of some reality we cannot begin to fathom. For me, reality is the the pain you feel when you punch a wall with your fist - there is a real world out there! But our brain (interface) translates that into complex feelings and sensations and drives, and we cannot “grasp” external reality directly. We all live inside this bubble, this Markov blanket, rationalizing what could “really” be out there. But we’ll never really “know”.

[@jimimased1894]

excellent talk