# Metadata Source URL:: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_energy_principle#:~:text=The%20free%20energy%20principle%20is%20a%20theory%20in%20cognitive%20science%20that%20attempts%20to%20explain%20how%20living%20and%20non%2Dliving%20systems%20remain%20in%20non%2Dequilibrium%20steady%2Dstates%20by%20restricting%20themselves%20to%20a%20limited%20number%20of%20states Topics:: #physic --- # Free energy principle - Wikipedia ## Highlights > [!quote]+ Updated on 100922_161800 > > The free energy principle is a theory in cognitive science that attempts to explain how living and non-living systems remain in non-equilibrium steady-states by restricting themselves to a limited number of states. It establishes that systems minimise a free energy function of their internal states (not to be confused with thermodynamic free energy), which entail beliefs about hidden states in their environment. The implicit minimisation of free energy is formally related to variational Bayesian methods and was originally introduced by Karl Friston as an explanation for embodied perception in neuroscience,[1] where it is also known as active inference.