Flow Radio

How Your Brain Predicts Reality | Flow, Intuition & Mental Flexibility

11 snips
Aug 29, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Karl Friston, a renowned theoretical neuroscientist, explores how our brains don't just record reality but actively construct it. He introduces the concept of perception as a "controlled hallucination" and explains how intuition acts as a cognitive shortcut to reduce uncertainty. Friston also highlights the transformative effects of flow states and psychedelics on creativity and mental flexibility, revealing how these insights can help address mental health challenges. Ultimately, he illustrates the powerful role of predictive coding in shaping our understanding of consciousness and resilience.
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INSIGHT

Brain As A Predictive Constructor

  • The brain is a generative organ that predicts sensory input using Bayesian beliefs and predictive coding.
  • Minimizing prediction error (surprise) explains perception and action under the Free Energy Principle.
INSIGHT

Markov Blanket And Self-Evidencing

  • A Markov blanket separates an agent from its environment and frames internal dynamics as self-evidencing.
  • Minimizing surprise equates to maximizing model evidence, describing organisms as self-evidencing systems.
ADVICE

Use Attention To Privilege Useful Signals

  • Actively control attention by adjusting the precision (gain) of prediction errors to decide what updates beliefs.
  • Practice volitional attention deployment to privilege useful sensory signals and enable belief updating.
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