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This paper presents a model of consciousness that follows directly from the free-energy principle (FEP). We first rehearse the classical and quantum formulations of the FEP. In particular, we consider the inner screen hypothesis that follows from the quantum information theoretic version of the FEP. We then review applications of the FEP to the known sparse (nested and hierarchical) neuro-anatomy of the brain. We focus on the holographic structure of the brain, and how this structure supports (overt and covert) action., This is not the right version of our paper

Active inference offers a unified theory of perception, learning, and decision-making at computational and neural levels of description. In this article, we address the worry that active inference may be in tension with the belief–desire–intention (BDI) model within folk psychology because it does not include terms for desires (or other conative constructs) at the mathematical level of description. To resolve this concern, we first provide a brief review of the historical progression from predictive coding to active inference, enabling us to distinguish between active inference formulations of motor control (which need not have desires under folk psychology) and active inference formulations of decision processes (which do have desires within folk psychology). We then show that, despite a superficial tension when viewed at the mathematical level of description, the active inference formalism contains terms that are readily identifiable as encoding both the objects of desire and the strength of desire at the psychological level of description. We demonstrate this with simple simulations of an active inference agent motivated to leave a dark room for different reasons. Despite their consistency, we further show how active inference may increase the granularity of folk-psychological descriptions by highlighting distinctions between drives to seek information versus reward—and how it may also offer more precise, quantitative folk-psychological predictions. Finally, we consider how the implicitly conative components of active inference may have partial analogues (i.e., “as if” desires) in other systems describable by the broader free energy principle to which it conforms.

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the neural processes underlying perception, learning, and decision-making approximate Bayesian inference. Yet, humans perform poorly when asked to solve explicit probabilistic reasoning problems. In response, some have argued that certain brain processes are Bayesian while others are not; others have argued that reasoning errors can be explained by either inaccurate generative models or limitations of approximation algorithms. In this paper, we offer a complementary perspective by considering how a Bayesian brain would implement conscious reasoning processes more generally. These considerations require making two distinctions, each of which highlights a fundamental reason why Bayesian brains should not be expected to perform well at explicit inference. The first distinction is between inferring probability distributions over hidden states and representing probabilities as hidden states. The former assumes that the brain’s dynamics instantiate a form of approximate Bayesian inference, premised on a model of how observations are generated by hidden states of the world. In contrast, the latter assumes the brain represents probabilities themselves as hidden states – namely, hypotheses about the correct answers to explicit reasoning problems. In this latter case, correctly inferring the most likely probability to report would implausibly require the brain to possess a generative model encoding Bayes’ theorem itself. The second distinction is between inference and mental action. In addition to state inference, consciously solving Bayes’ theorem requires the selection of a particular sequence of goal-directed cognitive actions (e.g., mental multiplication and addition, followed by division). While Bayesian brains infer probability distributions over action sequences, the possible sequences themselves often need to be learned. These considerations show that, regardless of the specific generative model in question or approximation algorithm employed, and even if all brain processes were Bayesian, an innate proficiency at solving explicit probabilistic reasoning problems should not be expected.

We challenge the authors' view that Markov blankets are illicitly reified when used to describe organismic boundaries. We do this both on general methodological grounds, where we appeal to a form of structural realism derived from Bayesian cognitive science to dissolve the problem, and by rebutting specific arguments in the target article.

Dissertação (Mestrado) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Religião. Bibliografia: f. 141-146. Este estudo faz uma análise dos símbolos presentes na imagem sagrada de Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, contextualizando seus significados no âmbito da simbologia cristã católica e da simbologia nahuatl e busca relacionar esta identificação simbólica da Virgem com o processo de cristianização dos povos indígenas do México, mediada pelos pressupostos teóricos e críticos do diálogo inter-religioso. Para isso, a metodologia adotada consistiu numa revisão bibliográfica de fontes primárias e secundárias, a fim de se entender o modo como se processou a construção sociocultural da devoção ao longo dos dois primeiros séculos de sua existência e sua relação com a conversão dos povos indígenas à fé cristã. A principal referência consultada foi o Nican Mopohua, primeiro documento a trazer o relato das aparições de Nossa Senhora ao índio Juan Diego em 1531, publicado em 1649 como parte do Huei tlamahuiçoltica, em língua nahuatl. A motivação do trabalho foi compreender de que forma a devoção guadalupana, representada simbolicamente com elementos da cultura nahuatl, contribuiu para a cristianização dos povos indígenas do México, valendo-se de pressupostos teóricos do diálogo inter-religioso, como a inculturação e o sincretismo. A partir da dupla interpretação dos símbolos, foi possível compreender a dimensão do processo de inculturação da fé cristã no México e a utilização da devoção mariana para influenciar a cristianização da nação asteca, bem como identificar se houve ou não um diálogo entre as religiões, neste sentido. Por este caminho constata-se a importância do culto a Virgem de Guadalupe não só para o processo de colonização, permeando a aproximação de dois credos distintos, como também para a legitimidade da cultura e do nacionalismo do povo mexicano. Palavras-chave: Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe. Simbologia. Diálogo Inter-religioso. Cultura nahuatl. Colonização do México. This study analyzes the symbols present in the sacred image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, contextualizing their meanings in the context of catholic christian symbology and nahuatl symbology, and seeks to relate this symbolic identification of the Virgin with the process of christianization of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, mediated by the theoretical and critical assumptions of interreligious dialogue. The methodology adopted consisted of a bibliographical revision of primary and secondary sources, in order to understand how the socio-cultural construction of devotion was carried out during the first two centuries of its existence and its relation with the conversion of indigenous peoples to catholic faith. The main reference consulted was Nican Mopohua, the first document to bring the account of the apparitions of Our Lady to the indian Juan Diego in 1531, published in 1649 as part of the Huei tlamahuiçoltica, in nahuatl language. The motivation of the work was to understand how Guadalupe devotion, represented symbolically with elements of the nahuatl culture, contributed to the christianization of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, using theoretical presuppositions of interreligious dialogue, such as inculturation and syncretism. From the double interpretation of symbols, it was possible to understand the dimension of the process of inculturation of the Christian faith in Mexico and the use of Marian devotion to influence the Christianization of the Aztec nation, as well as to identify whether or not there was a dialogue among religions in this sense. Along the way, we can see the importance of the Virgin of Guadalupe cult not only for the colonization process, but also for the legitimacy of the culture and nationalism of the Mexican people. Keywords: Our Lady of Guadalupe. Symbology. Interreligious Dialogue. Nahuatl culture. Colonization of Mexico. O CD-ROM que acompanha a obra encontra-se no setor de Coleção Especial.

Cisplatin, a commonly used cancer chemotherapeutic, has a dose-limiting side effect of nephrotoxicity. Approximately 30% of patients administered cisplatin suffer from kidney injury, and there are limited treatment options for the treatment of cisplatin-induced kidney injury. Suramin, which is Federal Drug Administration-approved for the treatment of trypanosomiasis, improves kidney function after various forms of kidney injury in rodent models. We hypothesized that suramin would attenuate cisplatin-induced kidney injury. Suramin treatment before cisplatin administration reduced cisplatin-induced decreases in kidney function and injury. Furthermore, suramin attenuated cisplatin-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis in the kidney cortex. Treatment of mice with suramin 24 h after cisplatin also improved kidney function, suggesting that the mechanism of protection is not by inhibition of tubular cisplatin uptake or its metabolism to nephrotoxic species. If suramin is to be used in the context of cancer, then it cannot prevent cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity of cancer cells. Suramin did not alter the dose-response curve of cisplatin in lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. In addition, suramin pretreatment of mice harboring lung adenocarcinomas did not alter the initial cytotoxic effects of cisplatin (DNA damage and apoptosis) on tumor cells. These results provide evidence that suramin has potential as a renoprotective agent for the treatment/prevention of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury and justify future long-term preclinical studies using cotreatment of suramin and cisplatin in mouse models of cancer.