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Chapter 12 Intelligence As a Force (10) Intelligence either guides the application of physical forces or is itself a force, thus causing or directing the motion of matter-energy, and driving the evolutionary mechanism. The expression of intelligence requires its interaction with matter-energy in our physical world. Intelligence can arbitrarily be divided into organic and inorganic forms, which creates an artificial and presumably non-existent boundary, but using that boundary as a mental convenience allows us to discuss its properties more effectively. For example, I am now quite certain that organic intelligence, which is an inherent property of all life forms, manifests a spectrum or continuum of consciousness states, ranging from simple to complex. The level of consciousness that any organism can potentially aspire to is directly related to its degree of material complexity. I am uncertain as to whether inorganic intelligence has consciousness, although there are now eminent scientists who have concluded that all matter, including atoms, is endowed with at least some consciousness. Intelligence oversees the operation of all forces throughout the universe. Although the distinction is again arbitrary, there are those forces which might be thought of as more associated with inorganic processes and those that are more associated with organic processes. The physical forces that appear to have an association with inorganic processes would include gravity, electromagnetic, and both weak and strong forces. It is also probable that additional forces may someday be identified. The entire evolutionary process of the universe is so intricately balanced that life could not have come into existence if any of the four or more physical forces of nature had differed very much in any direction. For example, if the rate of expansion of the universe had differed from its actual value by more than 10-18 , the entire delicate balance would have been destroyed. The explosive vigor of the universe is matched to its gravitational power with an almost unbelievable accuracy. The initial conditions had to be very special, and the rate of expansion is only one of several apparent cosmic miracles.1 Physicist Paul Davies has referred to the "balancing act" with respect to the rate of universal expansion. He has stated, "For a given density of cosmic material, the universe has to explode from the creation event with a precisely defined degree of vigor to achieve its present structure. If the bang is too small, the cosmic material merely falls back again after a brief dispersal, and crunches itself to oblivion. On the other hand, if the bang is too big, the fragments get blasted completely apart at high speed, and soon become isolated, unable to clump together into galaxies. In reality, the bang that occurred was of such exquisitely defined strength that the outcome lies precisely on the boundary between these alternatives.".2
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