The Dark Room Problem

Sun, Zekun; Firestone, Chaz

doi:10.1016/j.tics.2020.02.006

Cited by 63 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…However, PP, although increasingly pervasive, is certainly not universally accepted and there are conflicting findings and perspectives, driving ongoing debate (e.g., Alilović et al, 2019;Cao, 2020;Li & Ma, 2020;Litwin & Miłkowski, 2020;Rahnev & Denison, 2018). For example, one recurring challenge to PP is that worry that an imperative to minimize sensory prediction errors will lead to agents that do nothing at all -the so-called 'dark room problem' (Friston et al, 2012;Sun & Firestone, 2020a, 2020b. However, this challenge has already been effectively addressed by extensions of PP that consider the minimization of expected future prediction error, rather than just prediction error in the here and now (Hohwy, 2020b;Van de Cruys et al, 2020).…”

Section: Challenges and Concluding Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictive processing as a systematic basis for identifying the neural correlates of consciousness

Hohwy

Seth

2020

PhiMiSci

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The search for the neural correlates of consciousness is in need of a systematic, principled foundation that can endow putative neural correlates with greater predictive and explanatory value. Here, we propose the predictive processing framework for brain function as a promising candidate for providing this systematic foundation. The proposal is motivated by that framework’s ability to address three general challenges to identifying the neural correlates of consciousness, and to satisfy two constraints common to many theories of consciousness. Implementing the search for neural correlates of consciousness through the lens of predictive processing delivers strong potential for predictive and explanatory value through detailed, systematic mappings between neural substrates and phenomenological structure. We conclude that the predictive processing framework, precisely because it at the outset is not itself a theory of consciousness, has significant potential for advancing the neuroscience of consciousness.

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Section: Challenges and Concluding Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictive processing as a systematic basis for identifying the neural correlates of consciousness

Hohwy

Seth

2020

PhiMiSci

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“…However, one way to reduce error is to isolate oneself in extremely predictable environments (i.e., the "Dark Room Problem", Sun & Firestone, 2020), where there's no way to learn and explore. We argue that boredom evolved, at least in part, to prevent this.…”

Section: Minimizing Opportunity Costsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Origins of Boredom

Lin¹,

Ec²

2021

Preprint

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Why do people experience unpleasant, aversive emotions? Boredom is associated with a wide range of mental and physical health problems, including binge eating, substance use, anxiety, and depression. Nor does boredom feel good; many people are willing to shock themselves or even view upsetting images rather than be bored. Given such evidence, is it possible that boredom has adaptive value? We argue that it does; boredom provides an important evolutionary solution to minimizing prediction error by incentivizing learning. Reducing prediction error, it has been argued, is a core organizing principle underlying cognition; however, one way to reduce error is to isolate one’s self in extremely predictable environments (i.e., the “Dark Room Problem”). We argue that boredom evolved, at least in part, to prevent this. Specifically, boredom makes such a solution affectively undesirable, by aversively signaling a lack of successful attentional engagement in a valued goal-congruent activity. To reduce this aversive state, people are motivated to re-engage in meaningful activities and reallocate attentional resources. We review evidence from behavioral science and computational modeling supporting the role of boredom in maximizing learning and reducing prediction error. Furthermore, we suggest that these functions of boredom are not only present in modern humans, but have been conserved across species. We review evidence for boredom-like states in non-human animals and argue that animals likely experience boredom due to sharing many of the same psychological and physiological components of emotion as humans. For instance, animals in under-stimulated environments, such as cages or zoos, exhibit stereotyped behavior and other responses analogous to boredom in humans, including novelty seeking and play. In doing so, we address the adaptive value of boredom and its origins and prevalence in both human and non-human animals.

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“…The lasting value of the FEP lies in the fecundity with which it generates virtuous circles of testable hypothesessuch as those deriving from models of expected free energyand not with any specific attempt to prove or falsify it [8]. 1…”

Section: Extending Free Energy Into the Futurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sun and Firestone [1] presented a challenge to predictive processing (PP) accounts of brain function by reviving the Dark Room problemthe idea that if agents are mandated to minimise prediction error, the best thing for them to do is to seek out highly predictable environments where nothing changes, and stay there. They argued that standard responses to this challenge have the potential to render the PP account untestable and explanatorily empty.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A second, and related, response is that increasing prediction error in the short termfor example, by leaving a Dark Room to engage in curious explorationmay help to reduce prediction error in the long run. Sun and Firestone argued that this response is also inadequate because 'not all motivations that drive us from Dark Rooms reduce to instrumentally valuable exploration, even over the long-term' [1]. To support their point, they noted that some distinctivethough rarehuman behaviours, such as riding rollercoasters and reading poetry, do not seem to deliver instrumental (goal-oriented) benefit, even over the long-term.…”

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confidence: 99%

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