I also recognize within myself a compelling need to increase my level of knowledge, and as much as possible my own intelligence. Since I don't see myself as necessarily unique, I have to conclude that others must share this need to lesser or greater degrees. Whether this need is an inborn characteristic or environmentally acquired I am uncertain. It seems to manifest itself through the emotion of interest, which has been identified as the most commonly experienced positive emotion. This emotion may very well be one of the properties of higher-order intelligence that acts as a driving motivational force in attempting to propel intelligence continuously upward. It represents the foundation of curiosity.

Lastly, I believe that the Integrated Theory of Intelligence can explain intelligence's relationship to matter, energy, space and time better than pre-existing concepts. The universe is continually gaining in information as it undergoes evolutionary change. Since most physical processes are occurring exponentially, why not, then, expect that information accumulation and intelligence evolution might also occur that way?

The hypothesis that intelligence will continue to evolve in an upward direction at a non-linear, if not an exponential, rate is clearly the most important concept presented within the integrated theory of intelligence. If other parts fail in time, the overall theory will still be considered successful by me as long as this one concept prevails, since the ramifications of this hypothesis are the most far-reaching. It is predicted that time will eventually allow the proof to be established and thus allow scientific testing and eventual validation of the theory.

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