Consider the following [Bayes network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_network) of random variables on some probability space: [![Example Bayes Graph][1]][1] The [local Markov property](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_network#Local_Markov_property) asserts that any variable is independent of its non-descendants given its parents. Here, $X$ has no parents, and $Y$ is a non-descendant of $X$. Therefore $X$ is independent of $Y$. A [Markov-blanket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markov_blanket) of the variable $X$ is any subset of other variables that "contains all the information needed to infer $X$." The [Markov-boundary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markov_blanket#Markov_boundary) is the smallest such subset, i.e. the Markov-blanket with "no redundant information." For a Bayes network, the Markov-*boundary* of $X$ consists of its parents, its children, and the other parents of its children (its "spouses"). For our $X$, this is $\{Y,Z\}$. I am perplexed that $X$ can be *independent* of $Y$ and yet $Y$ is still in its Markov-boundary. The implication is that $Y$ provides a critical piece of information about $X$ when trying to decouple it from the rest of the network. I.e., I cannot assume $X$ is independent of $\{U,V\}$ unless I condition on both $Z$ *and* $Y$. This leads me to believe that maybe $Y$ *is* redundant, and that the Markov-boundary here is really just $Z$. But then I look at any source explaining Markov-boundaries and they provide explanations like this that have the same issue: [![Typical Markov-boundary explanation][2]][2] It is *always* true that $A$ given its parents is independent of its spouses, because the spouses are always non-descendants. Since the Markov-boundary always includes the parents and children, how could the spouses have any additional information to provide? I am struggling to understand the role of spouses in the Markov-boundary, because it leads me to the following statement which I thought was definitely impossible: $$ p(X|Y) = p(X)\ \ \ \ \text{while}\ \ \ \ p(X|Y,Z) \neq p(X|Z) \tag{1} $$ **Question:** Is the above equation possible? If not, then how is $X$ independent of $Y$ while $Y$ is in the (minimal) Markov-boundary of $X$? If it's not, then how is $Y$ different from the spouses in the other diagram? [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/HK9Abm.png [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/FTEINm.png