Scott Alexander reviews 'Surfing Uncertainty' by Andy Clark, exploring the predictive processing model of brain function and its wide-ranging explanatory power. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews the book 'Surfing Uncertainty' by Andy Clark, which explains the predictive processing model of how the brain works. This model posits that the brain is constantly making predictions about sensory input and updating its models based on prediction errors. Scott explores how this theory can explain various phenomena like attention, imagination, learning, motor behavior, and even psychiatric conditions like autism and schizophrenia. He finds the model compelling and potentially explanatory for a wide range of cognitive and perceptual processes. Shorter summary