Probabilistic representations should be defined by their computational role: reply to Rahnev et al. 2021

Note: This is a reply to the Generative Adversarial Collaboration "Is perception probabilistic? Clarifying the definitions" by Rahnev, Block, Denison, and Jehee (DOI 10.31234/osf.io/f8v5r). Probabilistic representations promise to shed light on how humans and other organisms cope with uncertainty, but debates about them have been hindered by unclear definitions and a lack of testable predictions. We argue that neither camp in this GAC has offered a plausible way out of this situation. We describe problems with their attempts to define probabilistic representations and sketch an alternative view, in which the defining feature of a probabilistic representation is how it is used.