Making Sense with Sam Harris #322 — Predicting Reality
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Jun 13, 2023 Andy Clark, a Professor of cognitive philosophy at the University of Sussex, shares his insights on the brain's predictive abilities. He discusses how our perception shapes reality, the role of predictions in managing pain and emotions, and the impact of psychedelics on cognitive processing. The conversation highlights the intersection of mindfulness with anxiety, presenting it as a physical experience to be transformed. Their exploration delves into the complexities of consciousness and how understanding our predictions can enhance well-being.
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Predictive Brain
- Our brains predict reality, including sensory inputs, to make sense of the world.
- This predictive processing helps us interpret ambiguous information and react efficiently.
Novelty and Prediction
- We don't perceive absolute novelty, but rather rely on existing predictions to interpret new information.
- Learning involves updating these predictions through cycles of prediction error and refinement.
Precision Weighting
- We don't directly experience prediction errors; instead, we experience the refined predictions.
- Attention and precision weighting determine how much we trust predictions versus sensory input.
