The Predictive Brain: Our Brains as Organs for Prediction

Our brains have evolved primarily as organs for prediction, according to the theory explored in the book 'The Experience Machine' by Andy Clark. Predictions play a crucial role in shaping our experiences, allowing the brain to use past knowledge to make better guesses about the world. These predictions fill in gaps in sensory information, but they can also make us see, hear, and feel things that aren't actually there when they are too strong. Examples like hearing familiar songs clearer or feeling phantom phone vibrations demonstrate the brain's predictive capabilities.