In this episode, we explore the profound connection between Neil Gaiman's iconic comic series, The Sandman, and the cutting-edge neuroscientific theory of the Free Energy Principle.

We discuss:

• An introduction to the Endless: Dream, Death, Destiny, Desire, Despair, Destruction, and Delirium as fundamental aspects of consciousness.

• A breakdown of the Free Energy Principle: How our brains act as prediction engines, constantly working to minimize surprise and build a model of reality.

• Mapping the Endless to the Mind:

  • Dream: The brain's simulation engine for processing the world.

  • Death: The ultimate, unavoidable parameter in our life's predictive model.

  • Desire & Despair: The powerful motivations and prediction failures that drive and disrupt us.

  • Destiny, Destruction & Delirium: The principles of causality, radical change, and chaos within our mental models.

• How Gaiman's fantasy epic serves as a modern mythology for the inner workings of the human psyche.

Further Reading:

• The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

• Learn more about Karl Friston and the Free Energy Principle.