# Psychophysical identity and free energy

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.08935 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.08935/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 18 May 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Formalising the Use of the Activation Function in Neural Inference](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.04896/) (2021)

## Abstract (arXiv)

An approach to implementing variational Bayesian inference in biological systems is considered, under which the thermodynamic free energy of a system directly encodes its variational free energy. In the case of the brain, this assumption places constraints on the neuronal encoding of generative and recognition densities, in particular requiring a stochastic population code. The resulting relationship between thermodynamic and variational free energies is prefigured in mind-brain identity theses in philosophy and in the Gestalt hypothesis of psychophysical isomorphism.