Beyond Words Ep. 30 | Active Inference, Language, and the Predictive Brain with Dr. Karl Friston

In this episode of Beyond Words, host Garrett Oyama speaks with Dr. Karl Friston, one of the world’s most influential neuroscientists and the architect of the free energy principle, about how active inference might help us understand human communication, language development, and speech-language intervention.

In a conversation that brings Friston’s theoretical work into the world of speech and language, they explore how communication allows us to share beliefs, resolve uncertainty, and construct shared models of the world. Dr. Friston explains the foundations of active inference before discussing conversational turn-taking, the coordination of speaking and listening, and potential implications for understanding autism and communication disorders.

The conversation then turns to early development and intervention. Why do babies experiment with their voices when nobody is listening? How might curiosity and exploration drive language learning? And what would speech therapy look like if we thought of children as active explorers rather than passive recipients of information?

Finally, they discuss joint attention, caregiver-child interaction, the potential effects of digital devices on communication development, and the future of artificial intelligence.

Relevant papers:

• Friston, K. J., Parr, T., Yufik, Y., Sajid, N., Price, C. J., & Holmes, E. (2020). Generative models, linguistic communication and active inference. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 118, 42–64.
• Friston, K., & Frith, C. (2015). A duet for one. Consciousness and Cognition, 36, 390–405.

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In this Beyond Words solo episode, I try and break down Michael Tomasello’s usage-based account of language development and the idea that grammar may be less like a rulebook and more like a collection of cultural tools that children learn through interacting with other people.

Tomasello’s answer brings together intention reading, pattern finding, linguistic constructions, joint attention, and joint agency. We look at why constructions themselves carry meaning, how children discover roles within utterances, and how the roles and perspectives involved in human cooperation may provide part of the cognitive foundation for grammar.

This video builds on my recent Beyond Words conversation with Michael Tomasello: https://youtu.be/H0En9S8NmSk?si=dNnZ3nD3ZjDFVJzM

📚 References

Tomasello, M. (2003). Constructing a Language: A Usage-Based Theory of Language Acquisition. Harvard University Press.

Tomasello, M. (2024). Agency and Cognitive Development. Oxford University Press.

Tomasello, M., & Barton, M. E. (1994). Learning words in nonostensive contexts. Developmental Psychology, 30(5), 639–650.

Beyond Words explores the science of language, communication, cognition, and development through conversations with leading researchers and clinicians. Reach out if you'd like to join the community! https://forms.gle/YS7bbZjLNXD3dFTK9