Artificial intelligence making headlines around the world every day. Topics range from the potential for AI applications to help humans to regulations governing AI and AI improving the human body. Other topics include the challenges posed personality fraud and perception manipulation.
But at the same time “forgotten intelligence” which rarely takes attention but it forms the basis of all intelligence: the cellular intelligence, our original living intelligence.
Why is there such a disparity in interest in living with cultural or technological intelligence? Does it have to do with the paradoxical nature of human psychology—the fact that we oscillate between an enormous potential for extinction and an impressive capacity for learning?
However, technological intelligence is impossible without natural intelligence. The future of our evolution depends on how these two forms of intelligence come together. Are we going to destroy ourselves or learn to coexist with about 10 billion other people? This is the first in a series of articles about the living intelligence behind our personality and perception.
Exploring our original mind
Currently, cellular intelligence can be defined as the rapid regulatory ability of living cells to process internal and external signals in ways that lead to adaptive organization, homeostatic stability, and goal-directed responses.
This intelligence in such processes pattern recognition through receptors, signal transduction, bioelectrical coordination, epigenetic modulation and collective decision making in a multicellular environment.
Studies of bacterial chemotaxis, quorum sensing, morphogenesis, and regeneration show that cells are not just passive biochemical machines, but dynamic and responsive systems that integrate information over time and space (Reber et al., 2019, 2020, 2023).
Intelligence is understood as an evolutionary continuum ranging from membrane differentiation and homeostasis in unicellular organisms to complex shape regulation and neural integration in multicellular organisms. Thus, the cellular intelligence forms the biological basis on which its higher forms are formed knowledgebehavior and consciousness – our psychology have developed.
Early pioneers of biological intelligence without a nervous system
The pioneers of “cellular intelligence” were the first researchers to show that cells could perceive, make decisions, learn and adapt long before nervous systems existed. Although the field is vast, there are clear pioneers who illuminate each different aspect of this living mind (Mancuso, 2015, 2018).
Lynn Margulis has shown that cells arise from a symbiotic cooperation. He proposed an evolutionary model in which cells relationship intelligence. His work clearly shows that cells make decisions within ecological networks (Margulis, 1986, 1995, 1998, 2002).
Some pioneers of cellular cognition
Michael Levin, a modern pioneer in cellular cognition, shows that cells use electrical patterns to control shape, direction, and repair. He demonstrated that cellular aggregates exhibit purposeful behavior as seen in planarian (flatworm) regeneration. His work on “cellular intelligence” is clear (Levin, 2019).
Stuart Kauffman’s research on self-organization and origin shows that cells can make complex decisions without central control. His work lays the foundation for viewing cells as complex adaptive systems (Kauffman, 2019).
Some neurobiological currency figures
Antonio Damasio is a neurobiologist who developed theories of homeostasis and feelings place the psyche within the cellular regulation. His work connects natural intelligence and human consciousness (Damasio, 2010, 2018, 2021).
Anil Seth argues that consciousness arises from biological regulation rather than abstract cognition. His research falls under the same umbrella: seeing the psyche as an extension of living organization (Seth, 2021).
The evolutionary line of the living mind
Based on the work of these pioneers, I present below a brief overview of the evolution of our intelligence:
Basic Intelligence readings
1. Precellular intelligence: physical adaptation (4 billion years ago)
Matter follows patterns and molecules respond to energy gradients. Self-organization creates order out of chaos. Chemical networks begin to process information: stability, linkand reaction. Not yet life, but there is proto-adaptation. Intelligence develops from dynamic harmony.
2. The first cells: membrane differentiation and response (3.8 billion years ago)
The cell membrane represents the first in and out the difference Receptors recognize patterns and ion channels determine what goes in and what stays out. Homeostasis appears: the first form self defense. This indicates birth understanding as a primary ability. Intelligence develops through transition and choice.
3. Bacterial intelligence: chemotaxis, memoryinteraction (3.5 billion years ago)
Bacteria to learn and to predict. Through chemotaxis, they learn to choose direction based on gradients. Quorum sense leads to collective decision-making. Social structures of division of labor are created through biofilms. Simple forms mobile memory develop. Intelligence consists of goal-directed behavior without a nervous system.
4. Symbiotic Intelligence: The Margulis Revolution (2 billion years ago)
Cells become intelligent through relationships. Endosymbiosis occurs mitochondria and chloroplasts. They are complex cells (eukaryotes). cooperative ecosystems. Decisions are shared among many genetic generations. Intelligence develops from the integration of relationships.
5. Multicellular intelligence: communication and pattern formation (1 billion years ago)
Cells form bodies that form signaling networks (hormonalelectrical). During embryonic development, cells “know” where they should be. Morphogenesis is now a form of it making collective decisions. Intelligence develops from general spatial direction.
6. Bioelectric intelligence: the domain of Michael Levine (600 million years ago)
Contact collections of electric fields as a map. Regeneration shows how cells restore lost structures. Planaria (flatworms) retain their shape even after amputation. Bioelectrical patterns guide growth, direction, and personality. Intelligence develops from form consciousness.
7. Neural intelligence: acceleration of integration (550 million years ago)
Nervous systems appear as one quick sync cell intelligence. Neurons are cells specialized for signal processing. There are brains cell-centered intelligence. is knowledge late a phenomenon, not a beginning. Intelligence develops from rapid adaptation.
8. The human mind: culture, language, symbols (200,000 years ago)
Cellular intelligence becomes cultural. Language creates shared models of reality. Culture becomes a second layer of regulation. Consciousness becomes reflexive, narrative and social. Intelligence develops from embodied, relational, and symbolic coherence.
Common thread
In all stages, one principle remains constant:
Intelligence is the ability of living systems to adapt to their internal and external environment, maintain order, maintain relationships, and create meaningful action.
It begins with membranes and ends with consciousness – but the logic remains the same. Living intelligence is the real intelligence of our psychology. How artificial intelligence fits into this—and not the other way around—is the most important question of our time.
