Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST) THE HARD PROBLEM OF OBSERVERS - WOLFRAM & FRISTON [SPECIAL EDITION]
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Oct 29, 2023 
In this special conversation, Stephen Wolfram, a celebrated computer scientist known for the Wolfram Physics Project, and Carl Friston, a pioneering neuroscientist behind the Free Energy Principle, tackle profound questions about existence. They explore what defines an observer and agency in both natural and artificial worlds. Topics include how observers shape their perceptions, the intricacies of agency in AI, and the philosophical implications of predictability versus unpredictability in our universe. Their combined insights push the boundaries of understanding agency, consciousness, and reality.
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Curiosity vs. Predictability
- Organisms aim to make their world predictable for survival, seemingly prioritizing the status quo.
- However, curiosity and the pursuit of unexpected discoveries in science challenge this predictability-seeking behavior.
Curiosity as Principle of Least Action
- Curiosity, or information-seeking behavior, can be explained through the lens of minimizing expected surprise, which equates to reducing uncertainty.
- Organisms choose paths that minimize surprise, which can be seen as a principle of least action.
Observer Persistence
- Observers, to exist, must be persistent and sparsely coupled to the external world.
- This allows for coherent identity and internal states, unlike constantly changing entities like eddies in a fluid.