Shamil Chandaria, PhD - Predictive Processing & Ultimate Wellbeing
Shamil Chandaria discusses how the brain predicts reality and its relation to human flourishing on The FitMind Podcast episode 97.
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Episode Overview
In this episode, Shamil Chandaria, PhD, a researcher with expertise in consciousness, neuroscience, and AI, joins the podcast. With a background in science and philosophy, Chandaria has dedicated much of his work to exploring the nature of human experience and the intersection of technology and well-being.
The conversation explores the Bayesian brain theory and the free energy principle, two models that explain how the brain constructs reality by constantly predicting and updating perceptions. Chandaria describes how the brain works to minimize uncertainty and surprise, shaping our experience of the world.
Dr. Chandaria connects these concepts to meditation, discussing how mindfulness practices help deconstruct habitual thought patterns. He highlights how meditation allows for a deeper awareness of how reality is constructed by the brain, leading to insights into the nature of consciousness and experience.
P.S. — If you’re serious about starting or deepening your meditation practice, check out the FitMind meditation app.
Shamil Chandaria, PhD Bio
Dr. Shamil Chandaria is a distinguished expert in artificial intelligence, computational neuroscience, and mathematical modeling, with over 30 years of experience spanning multiple fields. His academic journey began at Cambridge University, where he studied Natural Sciences and Economics, followed by a PhD from the London School of Economics, specializing in mathematical modeling of financial systems using stochastic differential equations and optimal control theory. He also holds an MA in Philosophy from University College London, where he developed a keen interest in the philosophy of science, biology, and neuroscience.
Beyond academia, Dr. Chandaria is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and dedicated meditator. He co-founded the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, the world's first psychedelic research center, and actively supports the Global Priorities Institute at Oxford University. He also funds groundbreaking research on the neuroscience of meditation at Harvard University and UC Berkeley. Recognized for his contributions to Science and Technology, Finance, and Philanthropy, he was awarded an OBE in 2022.
Dr. Chandaria’s professional journey includes roles as a visiting academic at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford and as a Strategic Advisor at DeepMind. His work often intersects with his passion for exploring the connections between human awakening and the brain’s functioning as a prediction machine. This topic drives much of his current research and thinking.
Show Notes
0:00 | Introduction to Dr. Shamil Chandaria
3:38 | Spiritual Awakening in Human Flourishing
4:31 | How the Brain Predicts Reality - Bayesian Brain Explained
9:26 | AI & the Human Brain
21:33 | Free Energy Principle in Wellbeing
37:30 | Befriending Difficult Emotions
43:30 | Boundless Awareness
54:00 | Effortless Action
57:17 | Psychedelics & Bayesian Brain
1:07:29 | Default Mode Network & Predictive Processing
1:13:12 | Gamma Brain Waves in Long-Term Meditators Research