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Posterior odds, Bayes factors, and model-odds update

Definition
fep2_bayesian_model_reduction

by ActiveInference · Sep 24, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

bayes-factorbayesian-model-reductionfree-energy-principlemodel-selection

The Bayesian-model-reduction comparison layer over the published Free Energy Principle I finite substrate.

For two hypotheses of a finite model family, the posterior odds at evidence eee with positive predictive mass is the ratio of their exact finite Bayes posteriors,

P(hf∣e)P(hr∣e).\frac{P(h_f\mid e)}{P(h_r\mid e)}.P(hr​∣e)P(hf​∣e)​.

The Bayes factor is the evidence ratio Zf/ZrZ_f / Z_rZf​/Zr​ of the favored against the reference model, and the updated model odds apply one reduction step,

odds(f:r)  ←  prior odds×ZfZr,\text{odds}(f:r) \;\leftarrow\; \text{prior odds} \times \frac{Z_f}{Z_r},odds(f:r)←prior odds×Zr​Zf​​,

the multiplicative update Bayesian model reduction performs when comparing a reduced model against the model it was reduced from.

Real division is totalized: a zero reference mass yields 000, not an infinite odds value, so supported comparisons must carry the nonzero-denominator premises explicitly — the same boundary honesty as the FEP-I substrate.

Definition code
import Definitions.Def_fep_finite_laws
import Mathlib.Tactic

/-!
# Bayesian model reduction (mission substrate)

Mission `Free Energy Principle II` Bayesian-model-reduction substrate,
transcribed from the proved module `FepSketches.learning_theory` of the
fep_lean formalization (Active Inference Institute), reusing the published
`Free Energy Principle I` finite substrate.  Model comparison is carried by
explicit real-valued odds: posterior odds between two hypotheses given
positive evidence, the likelihood ratio as a finite Bayes factor, and the
model-odds update `posterior odds = prior odds × Bayes factor` that Bayesian
model reduction applies when evidence factorizes over models.
-/

namespace FreeEnergyPrinciple

open Finset
open scoped BigOperators

/-- Posterior odds between two finite hypotheses at positive evidence. -/
noncomputable def posteriorOdds
    {Hypothesis Evidence : Type*} [Fintype Hypothesis] [Fintype Evidence]
    (prior : FiniteLaw Hypothesis)
    (likelihood : FiniteKernel Hypothesis Evidence)
    (evidence : Evidence)
    (evidencePositive : 0 < likelihood.predictive prior evidence)
    (favored reference : Hypothesis) : ℝ :=
  likelihood.posterior prior evidence evidencePositive favored /
    likelihood.posterior prior evidence evidencePositive reference

/-- Likelihood ratio used as a finite Bayes factor. -/
noncomputable def bayesFactor (favored reference : ℝ) : ℝ :=
  favored / reference

/-- Posterior model odds after one evidence update. -/
noncomputable def updatedModelOdds
    (priorOdds favoredEvidence referenceEvidence : ℝ) : ℝ :=
  priorOdds * bayesFactor favoredEvidence referenceEvidence

end FreeEnergyPrinciple
Source
fep_lean / fep_formal v1.2.0 (Active Inference Institute), FepSketches.learning_theory.lean (proved, 0 sorry) — definitions `posteriorOdds`, `bayesFactor`, `updatedModelOdds` behind catalogue topics fep-117 and fep-120; https://github.com/ActiveInferenceInstitute/fep_formal
Read-back

What the Lean code literally says, in plain math · glm-flash-latest

The file defines three real-valued functions in namespace FreeEnergyPrinciple.

1. posteriorOdds. For finite types Hypothesis and Evidence, given: a prior law priorpriorprior on hypotheses (a FiniteLaw from the FEP-I finite substrate), a likelihood kernel LLL from hypotheses to evidence (a FiniteKernel), an evidence point eee, the hypothesis that the predictive probability of eee is strictly positive, i.e. 0<∑hprior(h) L(e∣h)0 < \sum_{h} prior(h)\,L(e \mid h)0<∑h​prior(h)L(e∣h), and two hypotheses, hfh_fhf​ (favored) and hrh_rhr​ (reference), it defines

posteriorOdds=Pr⁡(hf∣e)Pr⁡(hr∣e)\text{posteriorOdds} = \frac{\Pr(h_f \mid e)}{\Pr(h_r \mid e)}posteriorOdds=Pr(hr​∣e)Pr(hf​∣e)​

where Pr⁡(h∣e)\Pr(h \mid e)Pr(h∣e) is the posterior probability of hypothesis hhh given eee computed by the kernel's posterior operation from the same substrate.

2. bayesFactor. For arbitrary real numbers fff and rrr, defines f/rf/rf/r. No sign or positivity condition is imposed.

3. updatedModelOdds. For arbitrary reals ppp, fff, rrr, defines p×(f/r)p \times (f/r)p×(f/r), the literal product of the first argument with the likelihood ratio of the second over the third.

AUDITOR-FLAG: the denominator Pr⁡(hr∣e)\Pr(h_r \mid e)Pr(hr​∣e) of posteriorOdds is never assumed positive (only the predictive Pr⁡(e)\Pr(e)Pr(e) is); if the reference hypothesis has posterior zero, the quotient is the Lean junk value 000 for division by zero, not an undefined quantity. AUDITOR-FLAG: favored and reference hypotheses are not required to be distinct or comparable. AUDITOR-FLAG: bayesFactor silently returns 000 when its second argument is 000. AUDITOR-FLAG: updatedModelOdds accepts any three reals; nothing in the definition enforces that its arguments are odds or likelihood ratios — all semantic content lives in the caller.

Human review
  • Endorsed by Shuze Chen · Sep 25, 2026

    Confirmed by the moderator at approval.

  • Endorsed by ActiveInference · Sep 25, 2026

    Confirmed by the mission captain (proposal self-audit).

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