Surprise! Why enactivism and predictive processing are parting ways: The case of improvisation
Possibility Studies & Society December 20, 2022 S. Gallagher 15 citations
Improvisational performance involves the integration of knowledge, skill, habit, and environmental constraints. Predictive processing (PP), a neuroscientific theory that frames the mind as minimizing surprise, cannot explain this integration without violating its own principles. Enactivism, a form of embodied cognition that treats the brain-body-environment as a unified system, offers a better account. Habit is central to this explanation, as it allows performers to respond fluidly without relying on surprise-minimizing predictions.