From Quantum to Reality: Gravity-Induced Quantum Decoherence, Arrow of Time, Matter Self-Assembling, Life, Intelligence, Consciousness, and Free Will (Part Two: From Matter Self-Assembling to Life: Bounded Probabilism Beyond Determinism and Probabilism)

This study seeks to establish a consistent theoretical foundation to address enduring open questions in physics—such as the origins of life, free will, the subjective experience of time, consciousness, and biological intelligence—by exploring the connection between the stochastic quantum hydrodynamic model (SQHM) and the order generation in systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium, all converging in the manifestation of physical reality. It offers novel insights into the emergence of order, biological systems, and associated functions such as biological intelligence, free will, consciousness, and the behavior of social structures. These insights are grounded in the assumption of a discrete spacetime structure, enabling an analogy of the universe as a running discrete computation, where emergent physical laws arise from the computation’s intrinsic problem-solving goals. This perspective carries profound implications for physical evolution, suggesting that everyday reality, the origin of life, social interactions, and consciousness itself are intrinsic features of the universal physics. It introduces the idea that free will may emerge as a functional mechanism guiding the universe’s progression toward increasingly efficient and organized states, states in which order is preserved to the greatest extent possible. This view embodies a form of bounded probabilism, standing in sharp contrast to the concept of total, unconstrained randomness, which reduces the universe to a mere cosmic game of dice. It also offers a novel perspective through which artificial intelligence can be framed and its limitations, as well as its differences from biological intelligence, can be better understood. This view highlights how the quantum foundations of the universe contribute to the expression of consciousness, outlining potential avenues for advancing AI toward a more faithful emulation of conscious experience.