The article discusses a conversation between a parent and child about the fear of the dark, linking it to an evolutionary survival instinct. It introduces the Free Energy Principle, which posits that the brain acts as a prediction machine, constructing a model of reality to anticipate threats like predators. This framework helps explain why, in the absence of visual cues, our minds may conjure scary images as a cautious reaction. The article references a video by Artem Kirsanov for further exploration of this concept, illustrating it with examples of how the brain interprets ambiguous stimuli.
When it's dark, visual stimuli disappear, and our brains start filling the void. This can lead us to imagine frightening things—a precaution rooted in evolutionary survival.
According to the Free Energy Principle, our brain is fundamentally a prediction machine, continuously generating and refining hypotheses about our surroundings to enhance our survival.
#fear-of-the-dark #free-energy-principle #evolutionary-psychology #brain-function #prediction-modeling
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