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Markov blankets and Bayesian territories

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 September 2022

Jeff Beck*
Affiliation:
Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA jeff.beck@duke.edu

Abstract

Bruineberg et al. argue that one ought not confuse the map (model) for the territory (reality) and delineate a distinction between innocuous Pearl blankets and metaphysically laden Friston blankets. I argue that all we have are models, all knowledge is conditional, and that if there is a Pearl/Friston distinction, it is a matter of the domain of application: latents or observations. This suggests that, if anything, Friston blankets may inherit philosophical significance previously assigned to observations.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

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