Essay Abstract

Getting from the laws of physics to intelligence and consciousness requires us to understand far from equilibrium thermodynamic systems and dissipative structures. From there, the relationship between prediction, learning, energy and entropy will carry us most of the way towards a richer understanding of how physical and information systems might relate. Once complex self-replicating molecules are established, competition and the need for more energy sources drives ever more complex modeling ability. Modeling, learning and self-models leads to intelligence and then to consciousness as we know it. This essay is a simple sketch of the above ideas.

Author Bio

Nothing interesting ever happened. No credential either.

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Deen Abiola,

There are so many essays here! I was looking up another essay by name and you were alphabetically at the top and the title caught my eye.

I like that you separate intelligence from consciousness. I do not think there is a need to separate human consciousness from other animals. Yes, the mirror test is human (or visual social) biased, so we should not think consciousness itself is biased. I wished you had a little more thermodynamics and the start of life in general. Overall this essay was well-written and clear, you let the reader "in", which is hard to do.

Best of luck,

Jeff

    Dear Deen,

    With great interest I read your essay, which of course is worthy of high praise.

    You are one of the few who directly answers the question put by the contest.

    You are absolutely right that «consciousness requires us to understand far from equilibrium thermodynamic systems and dissipative structures», you correctly put questions «a collection of molecules can self-organize into complex structures is still unknown» and find answers «Dissipative Systems that are far from thermodynamic equilibrium tend to evolve towards particular attractor states.»

    In my essay , is shown that if you do not use the mystical properties of matter and fields, then there is every reason to believe that the universe is much simpler than it is thought to be.

    There is only one essence and the only universal quantum parametric mechanism in the universe that operates on the principle of the classical heat pump in solitons (attractors), and that functions both at the micro- and macro-level of fractal matter. This mechanism allows using a small fraction of the external energy to control in many times big fraction the energy of the system.

    This mechanism is also the answer to the questions of this competition.

    However, everyone loves their fiction and "magic", built by their "gods", so very few are able to see the rational grain in other people's ideas because of their illusions.

    Your essay allowed to consider us like-minded people.

    You might also like reading my essay .

    Kind regards,

    Vladimir

    Dear Deen Abiola,

    Please excuse me for I have no intention of disparaging in any way any part of your essay.

    I merely wish to point out that "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) Physicist & Nobel Laureate.

    Only nature could produce a reality so simple, a single cell amoeba could deal with it.

    The real Universe must consist only of one unified visible infinite physical surface occurring in one infinite dimension, that am always illuminated by infinite non-surface light.

    A more detailed explanation of natural reality can be found in my essay, SCORE ONE FOR SIMPLICITY. I do hope that you will read my essay and perhaps comment on its merit.

    Joe Fisher, Realist

    12 days later

    I don't know why this essay is not doing better. As of march 29, this is at a 4, when essays that are far off topic are rated higher.

    • [deleted]

    Deen,

    That was on topic (very many aren't!) clearly written (ditto!) and with some key fundamental truths. At least a slightly interesting thing about to happen is that you score is about to rise! It may also get more interesting if you engage here, also read other essays, question and comment. 'Accreditation' isn't really important, even if many physicists act as if it's the ONLY thing important!

    Well done and best of luck.

    Peter

      8 days later

      Dear Sirs!

      Physics of Descartes, which existed prior to the physics of Newton returned as the New Cartesian Physic and promises to be a theory of everything. To tell you this good news I use spam.

      New Cartesian Physic based on the identity of space and matter. It showed that the formula of mass-energy equivalence comes from the pressure of the Universe, the flow of force which on the corpuscle is equal to the product of Planck's constant to the speed of light.

      New Cartesian Physic has great potential for understanding the world. To show it, I ventured to give "materialistic explanations of the paranormal and supernatural" is the title of my essay.

      Visit my essay, you will find there the New Cartesian Physic and make a short entry: "I believe that space is a matter" I will answer you in return. Can put me 1.

      Sincerely,

      Dizhechko Boris

      a month later

      Ah, it's a bit late now but wow, thanks. Your reply means a lot. To be honest, I did not expect any engagement or positive comments. I'm not a physicist or famous or with a large social media following. So I submitted on a whim and forgot about it. I too wish I had had more time to talk about the thermodynamics part but it was also the most difficult to get a handle on. Thanks again, and sorry for the super late reply.

      As I wrote to another commenter: it's a bit late now but wow, thanks! I truly appreciate your comment. I did not expect any engagement or positive comments since I'm not a physicist or famous or with a large social media following. So I submitted on a whim and forgot about it.

      But now, I do regret not having interacted more. Thanks again for you very kind words.

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