The Dissenter

#1054 Kathryn Nave - A Drive to Survive: The Free Energy Principle and the Meaning of Life

Feb 3, 2025
Kathryn Nave, an early career research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, dives deep into autonomy and agency in living systems. The discussion kicks off with enactivism, reinterpreting cognition as active engagement rather than mere thought. Nave explains the Free Energy Principle, linking energy, goals, and survival in living beings. She also contrasts living agents with machines, highlighting goal-directed behaviors even in simple organisms. Ultimately, the conversation uncovers complex interactions between perception, action, and the environment.
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