[Koglist 1983] [CEU Cogsci Talks] REMINDER: Neil Bramley (University of Edinburgh): Information seeking in the “Adjacent possible” (April 29, 2026, 4 pm, C323)

Dear All, This is a kind reminder: ********************************************* The CEU Department of Cognitive Science cordially invites you to the following talk by: Neil Bramley (University of Edinburgh)<https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/bramley> Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Time: 4 pm CET Venue: C323 (QS Vienna) and Zoom: https://ceu-edu.zoom.us/j/99248369830?pwd=D0ZrXbE15r2JI9IaTjHAAIvAaF4VWY.1&… Meeting ID: 992 4836 9830 Passcode: 167595 Chair: József Fiser Title: Information seeking in the “Adjacent possible” Abstract: We typically hold human information-seeking behaviour to the normative standard of expected information maximisation. Yet humans align with this norm only in narrow, overtrained settings (and often only if you squint). I highlight a series of projects that explore information seeking in less constrained settings, where human choices are systematically *anti-correlated* with global information maximisation norms. To make sense of this disconnect, I highlight how the value of information depends on what one can make of it. I’ll argue this transforms the objective of human information-seeking to that of maximising mobility within the “adjacent possible” (Kauffman, 1996)—the space of possibilities a learner can conceive of, given what they currently believe and their inferential limitations. Humans often select actions that fork the predictions of a current hypothesis and “nearby” alternatives, optimising the signal-to-noise ratio with respect to this contrast, to limit the chance of making inferential or perceptual errors. I suggest this pattern is mis-diagnosed as confirmation-biased, inefficient testing from a “god’s eye” view, but rather reflects an effective long-run strategy (in combination with model-free heuristics) for active learning in open-ended possibility spaces. *Anyone not affiliated with CEU wishing to attend in-person in Vienna must reply here please<https://forms.office.com/e/cVhWmYJWbH> to get access to the lecture hall. Let Jozsef know, please, if you would like to schedule a meeting with the speaker. Best, Reka [cid:image001.png@01DCD6FE.58A15E80] Györgyné Finta (Réka) Department Coordinator Department of Cognitive Science Pronouns: she/her | szabor@ceu.edu<mailto:szabor@ceu.edu> | +43 1 25230 5138 CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY Quellenstrasse 51 | A-1100 Vienna | Austria | www.ceu.edu<http://www.ceu.edu/> [signature_4100317087]<https://www.facebook.com/WeAreCEU/> [signature_3650446863] <https://www.instagram.com/weareceu/> [signature_2213595878] <https://at.linkedin.com/school/central-european-university/> [signature_973538284] <https://www.threads.net/@weareceu> [signature_3302971874] <https://twitter.com/ceu> ______________________________________________ Subscribe by sending an empty mail to talks-subscribe(a)cogsci.ceu.edu Unsubscribe by sending an empty mail to talks-unsubscribe(a)cogsci.ceu.edu