Simulation of Future: Fundamental Function of the Brain

The brain dedicates a significant amount of time to simulating possible futures, allowing for energy efficiency and decreased risk. This capability is rooted in the brain's ability to construct internal models and its reliance on memory. Memory and simulation are closely linked, as memories serve as building blocks for future scenarios. Prediction is a key aspect of simulation, enabling faster responses and risk assessment. The brain's predictive abilities rely on the same network of regions for both remembering the past and imagining the future. However, our ability to predict the future accurately is limited by our reliance on past experiences and our tendency to assume that the future will be a simple extension of the present.