The Emperor's New Markov Blankets.

Area of Science:

• Computational Neuroscience
• Theoretical Neurobiology
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• The free energy principle posits that living systems minimize variational free energy for adaptive environmental exchange.
• Markov blankets are key constructs in the free energy principle, recently applied to philosophical debates like mind-body demarcation.
• Existing literature shows confusion between the epistemic use of Markov blankets in Bayesian inference and their metaphysical use in defining agent boundaries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To trace the evolution of Markov blankets from Bayesian networks to active inference.
• To differentiate the formal epistemic use of Markov blankets from their metaphysical application in the free energy principle.
• To critically evaluate philosophical claims based on Markov blankets by distinguishing research programs.

Main Methods:

• Historical analysis of Markov blanket applications.
• Conceptual distinction between epistemic and metaphysical uses of Markov blankets.
• Critical assessment of philosophical arguments leveraging Markov blankets.

Main Results:

• Identified a persistent confusion regarding Markov blankets' dual roles: as an epistemic tool and a metaphysical construct.
• Proposed distinct terminology: "Pearl blankets" for epistemic use and "Friston blankets" for metaphysical use.
• Highlighted that metaphysical claims require additional philosophical premises beyond the mathematical framework.

Conclusions:

• The distinction between "Pearl blankets" and "Friston blankets" clarifies the application of Markov blankets in computational neuroscience and philosophy.
• Philosophical applications of Markov blankets necessitate differentiating between "inference with a model" and "inference within a model."
• Metaphysical claims using Markov blankets are only justifiable within an "inference within a model" framework, requiring explicit philosophical assumptions.