Blankets, heat, and why free energy has not illuminated the workings of the brain. (29th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Spector, Donald; Graham, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Behavioral and brain sciences. Volume 45(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09-29
• Subjects: Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Brain -- Periodicals; 616.89142
• DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X22000188
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-525X

Abstract

Abstract: What can we hope to learn about brains from the free energy principle? In adopting the "primordial soup" physical model, Bruineberg et al. perpetuate the unsupported notion that the free-energy principle has a meaningful physical – and neuronal – interpretation. We examine how minimization of free energy arises in physical contexts, and what this can and cannot tell us about brains.