In this episode, we break down “Qualia as Query: The Phenomenology of Predictive Error Coding,” a paper that links cognitive neuroscience and phenomenology to explain conscious experience. The author argues that qualia are not static mental “states,” but active query-like acts, and reframes the brain as an active inference system that continually tests predictions against sensory input. We unpack how this approach aims to bridge objective neural mechanisms with first-person experience, and why it matters for psychiatry and AI.

The research paper referenced in this episode along with bonus content for visual learners can be found at https://quantumqualia.notion.site/sources