Intelligence could in part be defined on a basic level as an organism's overall ability to survive. An organism whose entire intelligence system continually makes the "correct" choices because it is "smarter," will live longer than one that doesn't. Intelligence began to be selected out in the most primitive of living structures as each one began recognizing those sorts of basic ingredients it required for survival. If the simplest molecule that could reproduce itself required certain atoms or molecular groupings to survive, it would automatically pick those atomic particles out of its environment when they became accessible. If an atom is unstable because it is minus an electron, it will pull one out of the surrounding space as soon as one passes close enough to capture. If a DNA molecule is constructing a protein, it will grab the essential amino acids, purines, pyrimidines or nucleotides as they get close enough in space to capture, thus completing the task at hand. If there are other molecules floating around which are similar enough in their anatomic makeup to substitute for the desired molecule, a destructive effect could potentially occur.

The intelligence system is continually trying to repair all the insults that the body is encountering. This system will try every way possible to combat a cell gone cancerous, just as a DNA molecule will attempt to repair itself if a part of its vital structure is damaged by a highly energetic gamma ray passing through it. Too much gamma radiation at any one time could result in multiple DNA molecules being damaged. This might lead to weakening the DNA molecule enough to result in further widespread damage of that cell, perhaps just enough to result in a malignant transformation. An avalanche effect could conceivably result, eventually causing the death of the organism.

Aging, as well as disease, is the result of the organism's interaction with its environment, reflecting the process of entropy. An organism is continuously being bombarded with all kinds of natural toxic substances, infectious agents, parasites, radiation and physical forces.

Intelligence was selected out when basic molecular structures, which could reproduce themselves as they became better competitors with other molecules, evolved better ways to survive destruction by making "better choices." This mechanism for making right choices has become infinitely more complex during the evolutionary process.

Basic physical principles influence every reproducing structure, no matter how simple or complex it might be. Intelligence writes the script and natural selection acts as the editor by selecting out those mechanisms which allow the structure's survival. Intelligence evolved because of the basic instinct for survival programmed into every reproducible structure, thereby resulting in purposeful action. The more intelligent an organism became in its ability to recognize harmful events and to avoid them by whatever means it could (immune system, etc.), the longer it could survive. Increased survival time translates to greater reproduction capabilities. This was the underlying driving force that aided the evolution of intelligence into states of greater complexity.

The entropic process, both physical and biological, results in disintegration of matter, whether living or non-living, and is the ultimate underlying cause of all disease, in combination with the failure of the intelligence system. In this sense, entropy can be considered to represent anti-intelligence.

Netscape CTRL + D MAC Command + D

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