{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7167912932","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","title":"A First-Principles Theory of Slow Thinking and Active Perception","display_name":"A First-Principles Theory of Slow Thinking and Active Perception","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-07-09","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7167912932","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5082412135","display_name":"Hongkang Yang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4938-6445"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yang, Hongkang","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5073136550","display_name":"Zhewei Xu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4718-6175"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xu, Zhi-Qin John","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5140396984","display_name":"Feiyu Xiong","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xiong, Feiyu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5071854504","display_name":"E Weinan","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0272-9500"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"E, Weinan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T14394","display_name":"Cognitive Science and Education Research","score":0.3287999927997589,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T14394","display_name":"Cognitive Science and Education Research","score":0.3287999927997589,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11883","display_name":"Embodied and Extended Cognition","score":0.08749999850988388,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10656","display_name":"Child and Animal Learning Development","score":0.03519999980926514,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3204","display_name":"Developmental and Educational Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/inference","display_name":"Inference","score":0.6312000155448914},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/a-priori-and-a-posteriori","display_name":"A priori and a posteriori","score":0.4722000062465668},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/generative-model","display_name":"Generative model","score":0.4595000147819519},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/representation","display_name":"Representation (politics)","score":0.4377000033855438},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/observer","display_name":"Observer (physics)","score":0.4049000144004822},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/perception","display_name":"Perception","score":0.40369999408721924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/function","display_name":"Function (biology)","score":0.357699990272522},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/hierarchy","display_name":"Hierarchy","score":0.3528999984264374},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/probability-distribution","display_name":"Probability distribution","score":0.35269999504089355}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776214188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q408386","display_name":"Inference","level":2,"score":0.6312000155448914},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5083000063896179},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C75553542","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q178161","display_name":"A priori and a posteriori","level":2,"score":0.4722000062465668},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.4616999924182892},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C167966045","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5532625","display_name":"Generative model","level":3,"score":0.4595000147819519},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776359362","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2145286","display_name":"Representation (politics)","level":3,"score":0.4377000033855438},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780704645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9251458","display_name":"Observer (physics)","level":2,"score":0.4049000144004822},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26760741","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160402","display_name":"Perception","level":2,"score":0.40369999408721924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C14036430","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3736076","display_name":"Function (biology)","level":2,"score":0.357699990272522},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31170391","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188619","display_name":"Hierarchy","level":2,"score":0.3528999984264374},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149441793","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200726","display_name":"Probability distribution","level":2,"score":0.35269999504089355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C51167844","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4422623","display_name":"Latent variable","level":2,"score":0.33149999380111694},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.3287000060081482},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169900460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2200417","display_name":"Cognition","level":2,"score":0.32359999418258667},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C159886148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q176645","display_name":"Markov process","level":2,"score":0.32260000705718994},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98045186","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205663","display_name":"Process (computing)","level":2,"score":0.3197000026702881},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C28719098","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q44946","display_name":"Point (geometry)","level":2,"score":0.30889999866485596},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177769412","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q278090","display_name":"Prior probability","level":3,"score":0.3084000051021576},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C160234255","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q812535","display_name":"Bayesian inference","level":3,"score":0.3061999976634979},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C32834561","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q660730","display_name":"Subspace topology","level":2,"score":0.2955000102519989},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33923547","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q395","display_name":"Mathematics","level":0,"score":0.288100004196167},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C88871306","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7208287","display_name":"Point process","level":2,"score":0.28360000252723694},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C57493831","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3134666","display_name":"Projection (relational algebra)","level":2,"score":0.2827000021934509},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C187179951","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7784616","display_name":"Thinking processes","level":3,"score":0.2782000005245209},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39890363","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36108","display_name":"Generative grammar","level":2,"score":0.2761000096797943},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.2678999900817871},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95167961","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4483495","display_name":"Fiducial inference","level":5,"score":0.26759999990463257},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776010242","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4677575","display_name":"Active perception","level":3,"score":0.25529998540878296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77967617","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4677561","display_name":"Active learning (machine learning)","level":2,"score":0.2531999945640564},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80444323","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2878974","display_name":"Theoretical computer science","level":1,"score":0.2526000142097473}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2607.08196","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"display_name":"Peace, Justice and strong institutions","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/16","score":0.6362976431846619}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"As":[0],"part":[1],"of":[2,8,19,40,54,66,90,173,180,185,192,220],"a":[3,16,105,115,161,196,204,217,225],"series":[4],"on":[5,57,87,127],"first-principles":[6],"modeling":[7],"cognitive":[9],"functions,":[10],"this":[11,193],"paper":[12],"attempts":[13],"to":[14,97,207,228],"provide":[15],"mathematical":[17],"formulation":[18],"thinking":[20,27,42,112,188,202],"and":[21,33,38,52,60,93,131,139,160,210,224],"perception.":[22],"It":[23,103],"formally":[24],"derives":[25,104,151],"slow":[26,41,111,187,201],"or":[28],"more":[29],"generally,":[30],"active":[31],"perception,":[32,181],"encompasses":[34],"the":[35,50,58,64,88,110,120,128,136,145,171,178,183,186],"design,":[36],"training":[37,162],"inference":[39,153],"large":[43,106],"language":[44],"models.":[45],"Our":[46],"starting":[47],"point":[48],"is":[49,84],"lifting":[51,149],"projection":[53],"probability":[55],"distributions":[56,70],"observable":[59],"latent":[61,91],"spaces,":[62],"with":[63,100,155],"objective":[65,163],"representing":[67],"complex":[68],"data":[69,215],"by":[71,135,143],"simple":[72],"function":[73],"families":[74],"such":[75],"as":[76,168,170],"neural":[77],"networks.":[78],"A":[79],"theory":[80,194],"called":[81],"\"active":[82],"lifting\"":[83],"proposed,":[85],"based":[86],"sampling":[89],"sequences":[92],"an":[94,152,156],"intrinsic":[95],"drive":[96],"reduce":[98],"uncertainty":[99],"maximum":[101],"rate.":[102],"design":[107],"space,":[108],"containing":[109],"models":[113,124,212],"in":[114],"subspace":[116],"that":[117,164],"we":[118],"call":[119],"static":[121,137],"theory.":[122],"These":[123],"are":[125],"positioned":[126],"representation":[129],"hierarchy":[130,133],"sampler":[132],"induced":[134],"theory,":[138],"can":[140],"be":[141],"upgraded":[142],"climbing":[144],"two":[146],"hierarchies.":[147],"Active":[148],"further":[150],"process":[154],"internal":[157],"time":[158],"axis,":[159],"resembles":[165],"minimum-length":[166],"coding":[167],"well":[169],"invention":[172],"languages.":[174],"Thus,":[175],"it":[176],"characterizes":[177],"agency":[179],"including":[182],"emergence":[184],"formats.":[189],"Technical":[190],"by-products":[191],"include":[195],"three-stage":[197],"pathway":[198],"for":[199,213],"improving":[200],"models,":[203],"unified":[205],"approach":[206],"constructing":[208],"encoders":[209],"generative":[211],"all":[214],"modalities,":[216],"priori":[218],"formation":[219],"human-like":[221],"visual":[222],"representations,":[223],"possible":[226],"solution":[227],"policy":[229],"collapse.":[230]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-28T07:46:37.118299","created_date":"2026-07-11T00:00:00"}