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.
Deen Abiola