There is no consensus on what consciousness and intelligence are, but this article proposes a new definition of intelligence grounded in thermodynamics, describing it as a far-from-equilibrium phenomenon. The definition is minimal yet general, covering thinking, rationality, problem-solving, and adaptation. It states that intelligence, as an emergent property of consciousness, is the ability to intentionally solve challenges and adapt to new situations and an ever-changing environment. This definition may be relevant to cognitive and computer sciences, space exploration, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, artificial intelligence, and philosophy.
A new definition of consciousness is proposed, building on a generalized definition of life. Life is characterized as a far-from-equilibrium, self-maintaining system of quantum particles that processes, transforms, and accumulates environmental information. Consciousness is defined as an emergent property of such a system that is sustained by an autopoietic system. The definition aims to be minimal yet broad enough to cover all forms of cognition, including thinking and rationality, and is presented as a possible solution to Chalmers' hard problem of consciousness, with potential relevance to cognitive science, computer science, and artificial intelligence.