In their target paper, Bruineberg and colleagues provide us with a timely opportunity to discuss the formal constructs and philosophical implications of the free-energy principle. I critically discuss their proposed distinction between Pearl blankets and Friston blankets. I then critically assess the distinction between inference with a model and inference within a model in light of instrumentalist approaches to science.

Categories: q-bio.NC physics.hist-ph

The empire strikes back: Some responses to Bruineberg and colleagues