Life, its origin, and its distribution: a perspective from the Conway-Kochen Theorem and the Free Energy Principle

Chris Fields aand Michael Levin

We argue here that the Origin of Life (OOL) problem is not just a chemistry problem but is also, and primarily, a cognitive science problem. When interpreted through the lens of the Conway-Kochen theorem and the Free Energy Principle, contemporary physics characterizes all complex dynamical systems that persist through time as Bayesian agents. If all persistent systems are to some – perhaps only minimal – extent cognitive, are all persistent systems to some extent alive, orare living systems only a subset of cognitive systems? We argue that no bright line can be drawn, and we re-assess, from this perspective, the Fermi paradox and the Drake equation. We conclude that improving our abilities to recognize and communicate with diverse intelligences in diverse embodiments, whether based on familiar biochemistry or not, will either resolve or obviate the OOL problem.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/19420889.2025.2466017