Karl Friston

Karl Friston is widely regarded as one of the most influential neuroscientists of our time. Some peers consider him the foremost neuroscientist in history. As a professor at University College London, Friston has made groundbreaking contributions to neuroimaging and theoretical neuroscience. His most significant contribution is the Free Energy Principle, a foundational framework in neuroscience stating that biological systems minimize surprise (or uncertainty) by continuously updating their internal models to predict and adapt to their environment.

In this conversation, Karl Friston unpacks epistemic trust in everyday terms—how our brains decide who to learn from and what to believe amid deepfakes, polarized media, and belonging needs. We explore why “learning gates” open with felt safety and shared narratives, how attachment histories bias trust, and why body signals are critical red flags for incoherent stories. Practical takeaways: tune curiosity with care, notice interoceptive alarms, and keep firm-yet-flexible boundaries in the search for coherence.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:08:01 Belonging as a learning signal: how “like me” cues shape trust

00:12:00 Joining groups, rapid belonging and hidden costs

00:17:48 The impact of early relationships on group dynamics

00:29:55 Coherence vs. cohesion: spotting narrative breakdowns in the body

00:39:42 The bi-directional nature of perception

00:44:46 Conviction, charisma, and cults: why confidence can recruit trust without truth

00:48:27 Sustainable trust, boundaries and connectivity

00:57:15 Maintaining boundaries for stability

01:03:05 Yoga bridge: nonviolence & truth as conditions for stable knowing

01:11:19 Sleep, contemplation & simplifying the model

New Thinking Allowed Guest Host Leanne Whitney, PhD, is a depth psychologist and transformational coach based in Los Angeles, CA. She is the author of Consciousness in Jung and Patañjali and currently serves as Executive Director of Center for Transformation and Integration. Her website is https://leannewhitney.com/

To learn about Leanne Whitney’s Transformational Coaching Certification Course with an emphasis in Somatic Integration Therapy, please visit: https://transformationandintegration.com/courses

Producer: Ricky Derisz

Editor: John Hartmann

(Recorded on January 28, 2026)

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Published on February 20, 2026