The Curious Advantage Podcast 77: The Experience Machine - Is Reality All in Your Head? with Andy Clark (Cognitive Philosopher)
Apr 30, 2025
47:10
What if your brain isn’t just reacting to the world, but actually helping to create it?
In this episode, Paul Ashcroft and Garrick Jones are joined by world-renowned cognitive philosopher Andy Clark to explore the fascinating ideas behind his latest book, The Experience Machine.
Together, they dive into how the brain acts less like a camera and more like a prediction engine, constantly guessing what’s coming next and shaping the way we experience reality. From the link between curiosity and mistakes to the surprising ways our expectations influence pain and mental health, this is a rich conversation about perception, learning, and the stories we tell ourselves.
They also look at how embracing uncertainty drives growth and innovation, and how AI, algorithms, and education are shaping the way we think.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Curious Advantage Podcast
01:55 The Journey of Andy Clark
02:21 The Brain as a Prediction Machine
06:59 Balancing Predictions and Sensory Input
11:25 Error, Curiosity, and Learning
18:26 Wired to Reduce Uncertainty
21:16 Pain, Expectation, and Mental Health
25:45 Curating Uncertainty for Better Predictions
28:34 The Role of Environment in Shaping Reality
31:07 Art, Literature, and Predictive Systems
32:49 The Impact of Algorithms on Human Experience
34:34 AI and Human Predictive Models
40:23 The Future of AI and Human Collaboration
46:20 Education and Embracing Error
49:15 Practical Applications of Predictive Processing
In this episode, Paul Ashcroft and Garrick Jones are joined by world-renowned cognitive philosopher Andy Clark to explore the fascinating ideas behind his latest book, The Experience Machine.
Together, they dive into how the brain acts less like a camera and more like a prediction engine, constantly guessing what’s coming next and shaping the way we experience reality. From the link between curiosity and mistakes to the surprising ways our expectations influence pain and mental health, this is a rich conversation about perception, learning, and the stories we tell ourselves.
They also look at how embracing uncertainty drives growth and innovation, and how AI, algorithms, and education are shaping the way we think.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Curious Advantage Podcast
01:55 The Journey of Andy Clark
02:21 The Brain as a Prediction Machine
06:59 Balancing Predictions and Sensory Input
11:25 Error, Curiosity, and Learning
18:26 Wired to Reduce Uncertainty
21:16 Pain, Expectation, and Mental Health
25:45 Curating Uncertainty for Better Predictions
28:34 The Role of Environment in Shaping Reality
31:07 Art, Literature, and Predictive Systems
32:49 The Impact of Algorithms on Human Experience
34:34 AI and Human Predictive Models
40:23 The Future of AI and Human Collaboration
46:20 Education and Embracing Error
49:15 Practical Applications of Predictive Processing
About the Curious Advantage Podcast Series
Join the authors of The Curious Advantage in an exploration of how individuals and organizations can harness the power of curiosity to drive success in our new digital reality. In each episode, they engage in enlightening conversations with world-leading experts from a diversity of disciplines to bring to life the latest understanding of curiosity in a way that’s useful to anyone looking to embark on a journey of discovery, navigate challenges, and unlock opportunities.
About The Curious Advantage Book
The Curious Advantage is an exploration of the idea of Curiosity and its increasing importance for thriving in the digital age. Taking the widest possible exploration of things Curious – historical, contemporary, neuro-scientific, anthropological, behavioural, semantic and business-focused. At the heart of the book is our model of Curiosity, called ’Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’. This model provides individuals with a practical framework for how to be successfully Curious and use Curiosity as a power skill to unlock their own potential. To find out more visit: curiousadvantage.com
Get your copy of The Curious Advantage on Amazon
The Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on Audible
Follow The Curious Advantage on LinkedIn and Instagram
Join the authors of The Curious Advantage in an exploration of how individuals and organizations can harness the power of curiosity to drive success in our new digital reality. In each episode, they engage in enlightening conversations with world-leading experts from a diversity of disciplines to bring to life the latest understanding of curiosity in a way that’s useful to anyone looking to embark on a journey of discovery, navigate challenges, and unlock opportunities.
About The Curious Advantage Book
The Curious Advantage is an exploration of the idea of Curiosity and its increasing importance for thriving in the digital age. Taking the widest possible exploration of things Curious – historical, contemporary, neuro-scientific, anthropological, behavioural, semantic and business-focused. At the heart of the book is our model of Curiosity, called ’Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’. This model provides individuals with a practical framework for how to be successfully Curious and use Curiosity as a power skill to unlock their own potential. To find out more visit: curiousadvantage.com
Get your copy of The Curious Advantage on Amazon
The Curious Advantage Audiobook is also available on Audible
Follow The Curious Advantage on LinkedIn and Instagram
The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing is expertly by Danny Cross. Video editing is done by Jessica Wickham.