A possible definition of intelligence.

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.

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Abstract

There is no consensus about what consciousness and its emergent form, intelligence, are. Yet this article proposes a new definition of intelligence. The new definition implicates the thermodynamic aspect of an intelligent system as a far from equilibrium phenomenon. The new definition of intelligence presented herein is formulated in a minimal manner; simultaneously, it is general enough to cover all emergent forms of intelligence, e.g. thinking, rationality, problem-solving, adaptation and other relevant categories and aspects. The newly formulated definition states that: Intelligence, as an emergent property of consciousness, is the ability to intentionally solve challenges and adapt to new situations and to an ever-changing environment. The definition of intelligence presented herein may be of interest to cognitive and computer sciences, space exploration, or the search for extraterrestrial intelligence - and even to the development of artificial intelligence or general philosophy.