The Bayesian-Laplacian Brain.
Details
Download: Zeki and Chén.pdf (890.86 [Ko])
State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: CC BY-ND 4.0
State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: CC BY-ND 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_E493C7E82E90
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The Bayesian-Laplacian Brain.
Journal
The European journal of neuroscience
ISSN
1460-9568 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0953-816X
Publication state
Published
Issued date
03/2020
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
51
Number
6
Pages
1441-1462
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Review
Publication Status: ppublish
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
We outline what we believe could be an improvement in future discussions of the brain acting as a Bayesian-Laplacian system. We do so by distinguishing between two broad classes of priors on which the brain's inferential systems operate: in one category are biological priors (β priors) and in the other artefactual ones (α priors). We argue that β priors, of which colour categories and faces are good examples, are inherited or acquired very rapidly after birth, are highly or relatively resistant to change through experience, and are common to all humans. The consequence is that the probability of posteriors generated from β priors having universal assent and agreement is high. By contrast, α priors, of which man-made objects are examples, are acquired post-natally and modified at various stages throughout post-natal life; they are much more accommodating of, and hospitable to, new experiences. Consequently, posteriors generated from them are less likely to find universal assent. Taken together, in addition to the more limited capacity of experiment and experience to alter the β priors compared with α priors, another cardinal distinction between the two is that the probability of posteriors generated from β priors having universal agreement is greater than that for α priors. The two categories are distinct at the extremes; there is, however, a middle range where they merge into one another to varying extents, resulting in posteriors that draw upon both categories.
Keywords
Bayes Theorem, Brain, Humans, Bayesian brain operations, aesthetic experiences, artefactual priors, biological priors, colour vision
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
11/01/2024 19:05
Last modification date
18/01/2024 16:22