Bayesian brains

Human babiesunderstand probabilities. This ability seems to be innate (hard-wired), and it is a key part of our intelligence.


Our brains constantly keep track of the uncertainties associated with what they have learned.

Reverend Thomas Bayes

The models encapsulating our knowledge (beliefs) are updated as new evidence comes in. This is the essence of Bayesian reasoning.


Only Homo sapiens manages to generate abstract hierarchical probabilistic models of reality. And this is what distingushes us from both primates and the current crop of machines.