The Free Energy Principle
How minds minimize surprise to persist
GENERATIVE MODEL
Internal world-model
Belief: ~50
PREDICTION
Expected sensory input
~50
SENSORY INPUT
Actual observation
~50
PREDICTION ERROR
Mismatch signal
~0
MODEL UPDATE
Perception: change beliefs to fit world
+0.0
ACTION
Action: change world to fit beliefs
+0.0
WORLD (HIDDEN STATE)
50
TWO WAYS TO MINIMIZE SURPRISE: update the model (perception: change beliefs to fit the world) or change the world (action: change the world to fit beliefs).
Free Energy (rises with prediction error)
0
0 (fully predicted)
100 (maximum surprise)
3
Free Energy Over Time (learning history)
generative modelpredictionsensory inputprediction errormodel updateaction