Starting with a non-anthropomorphic definition of intelligence, this essay leads to the conclusion that the critical property driving the universe away from chaos is the tendency for particles to connect to each other, forming associations with new properties and as big as possible. The intrinsic relationship with processes of intelligence, both inorganic and organic, is explained. Considering a model for Earth’s past temperature that fits isotope and biological data, it is shown that such a tendency and the consequent processes of intelligence led to the formation of molecules like DNA and to a much better understanding of life evolution. Given that thermodynamics concerns only systems with non-connecting particles, a theory on systems with connecting particles seems to be of utmost importance to explain the evolution of systems, from the inorganic ones to human societies.
Alfredo Gouveia Oliveira