Markov Blanket Density and Free Energy Minimization

Luca M. Possati

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arXiv · 2506.05794

Markov Blanket Density and Free Energy Minimization

Luca M. Possati

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Abstract

This paper presents a continuous, information-theoretic extension of the Free Energy Principle through the concept of Markov blanket density, i.e., a scalar field that quantifies the degree of conditional independence between internal and external states at each point in space (ranging from 0 for full coupling to 1 for full separation). It demonstrates that active inference dynamics, including the minimization of variational and expected free energy, naturally emerge from spatial gradients in this density, making Markov blanket density a necessary foundation for the Free Energy Principle. These ideas are developed through a mathematically framework that links density gradients to precise and testable dynamics, offering a foundation for novel predictions and simulation paradigms.

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Luca M. Possati. 2025-06-06. Markov Blanket Density and Free Energy Minimization. https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.05794

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