Encultured minds, not error reduction minds

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Theoretical Neuroscience
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• The free-energy principle offers a unifying framework for understanding brain function.
• However, its explanatory power for complex cognitive phenomena remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the theoretical limitations of the free-energy principle.
• Specifically, to examine its capacity for explaining culturally emergent normativities.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis of the free-energy principle's core tenets.
• Conceptual critique focusing on normativity and cultural emergence.

Main Results:

• The free-energy principle model demonstrates a fundamental inability to account for culturally emergent normativities.
• Identified foundational theoretical issues underpin this explanatory gap.

Conclusions:

• The current formulation of the free-energy principle is insufficient for explaining complex socio-cultural phenomena.
• Revisions or alternative frameworks may be necessary to bridge the gap between neurobiological principles and cultural realities.