Bayesian Inference and the Brain with Hadi Vafaii

Can probability theory help explain how the mind works? In this episode of Deep Dives with Iman, host Iman Mossavat talks with Dr. Hadi Vafaii, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley’s Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, working in Jacob Yates’s lab. The conversation focuses on “perception as inference”—a century-old idea that continues to influence modern neuroscience, from predictive coding to the free energy principle.

While rooted in probability theory and Bayesian statistics, Hadi builds intuition step by step, using simple, relatable examples. He explains how the brain interprets the world by guessing the hidden causes behind what we see and hear, combining prior knowledge with new evidence. The episode also explores how personal beliefs and life experiences shape interpretation and why uncertainty is a vital part of life rather than a weakness.