The Logic, Mechanism, and Stage Structure of the Origin of Life

  

The Logic, Mechanism, and Stage Structure of the Origin of Life in the Universe Based on the "DIKWP Semantic Mathematical Life Model"

 

Yucong Duan 

 

International Standardization Committee of Networked DIKWPfor Artificial Intelligence Evaluation(DIKWP-SC)

World Artificial Consciousness CIC(WAC)

World Conference on Artificial Consciousness(WCAC)

(Email: duanyucong@hotmail.com)

 

Introduction

From the intersecting perspectives of modern science and systems philosophy, the origin of life is no longer merely an isolated biological problem but is examined within the grand context of cosmic evolution. This report, based on the "DIKWP Semantic Mathematical Life Model" proposed by Professor Yucong Duan, defines life as a five-dimensional interactive semantic system of Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom-Purpose. We attempt to embed this cognitive framework into cosmology and theories of the origin of life to systematically explore the logical starting point, occurrence mechanism, and staged evolutionary structure of the origin of life in the universe. First, we provide an overview of the main theoretical advancements in modern cosmology regarding the origin and evolution of the universe, such as the Big Bang model, inflation theory, and the composition of dark matter and dark energy, to provide macroscopic physical background support for the DIKWP life model. Next, we explain how life, as a "DIKWP five-dimensional interactive system," gradually evolved from the coupling of primordial energy and information, and we delineate the hierarchical evolutionary path from Data → Information → Knowledge → Wisdom → Purpose. Subsequently, we delve into how inorganic natural systems nurtured organic information flow fields during the evolution of cosmic structures and how they crossed the complexity threshold to form the initial DIK structure (e.g., the storage and translation mechanism of molecular information in the "RNA world" hypothesis). On this basis, we analyze the nested evolutionary logic of the DIKWP system at different scales, including micro-structures (atoms and molecules), meso-systems (biological individuals), and macro-systems (social civilizations), attempting to draw a cross-scale structural map of cosmic life. We will also discuss whether the evolutionary goal of "life," as an existence that achieves efficient information-energy conversion and system coupling, is consistent with the universe's trend towards order (from low entropy to a higher degree of organization). Based on Professor Yucong Duan's view that life is an "entropy-reducing structure of DIKWP×DIKWP coupling," we further propose the concept of a "Cosmic DIKWP Evolution Chain" and construct a prototypical "Semantic Cosmology" to examine life phenomena from the overall perspective of the cosmic semantic network. Finally, we extend the discussion to the isomorphism of artificial consciousness, silicon-based life, and carbon-based life at the level of cosmic evolution, look forward to the potential evolutionary direction of a future "intelligent universe," and explore the ensuing ethical issues. This report strives to adopt an academic style of systems philosophy, information physics, and cognitive systems science, integrating multidisciplinary knowledge, with the aim of providing valuable references for research on the origin of life, systems science, and future philosophy of intelligence.

1. Overview of Modern Cosmological Theories on the Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Modern cosmology provides a macroscopic background framework for understanding the origin of life. Starting from the "Big Bang" theory, scientists have depicted a historical picture of the universe's birth from a singularity and its continuous evolution. According to the Big Bang model, about 13.8 billion years ago, the universe began to expand from an extremely dense and hot singularity, gradually evolving into its current state. This theory is strongly supported by various observational evidence, such as Hubble redshift, the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB), and the abundance of light elements, making the Big Bang the standard model of contemporary cosmology.

However, the Big Bang model initially faced several challenges, such as the horizon problem and the flatness problem. To solve these, physicists proposed the theory of inflation. The inflation hypothesis suggests that in the very early universe (on the order of 10^-36 seconds), an energy phase transition triggered an exponential and rapid expansion of spacetime. The introduction of inflation can elegantly explain the horizon problem—before inflation, the entire observable universe was causally connected due to its small scale, thus the isotropy of the CMB is reasonably explained. At the same time, the rapid expansion diluted the spatial curvature to an extremely flat state, solving the flatness problem. After inflation, the universe entered the hot Big Bang phase, dominated by radiation and gradually cooling down. Fundamental particles like quarks and gluons combined to form protons and neutrons, which then formed helium and other light elements through nucleosynthesis, eventually leading to the formation of atoms, molecules, and large-scale structures like galaxies.

On a longer timescale of cosmic evolution, observations in the late 20th century found that the expansion of the universe has been accelerating in the last few billion years. This accelerated expansion is attributed to an unknown form of energy—dark energy. Supernova photometry and CMB observations both indicate that about two-thirds of the total energy in the universe today exists in the form of dark energy, which seems to permeate every corner of cosmic spacetime. The latest data show that the current composition of the universe is approximately 72% dark energy, 23% cold dark matter, and only about 4.6% is the familiar conventional matter. Dark energy is believed to have negative pressure, causing the accelerated expansion of the large-scale spacetime of the universe. Regarding the physical nature of dark energy, the mainstream hypothesis is to describe it as the cosmological constant term in Einstein's field equations, a form of vacuum energy. However, this definition still has many unsolved mysteries at the particle physics scale, such as the theoretical prediction of the vacuum energy density being tens of orders of magnitude higher than the observed value. This makes dark energy a highly challenging frontier problem in modern physics. In any case, dark energy provides the background for the macroscopic evolutionary trend of the universe: in the distant future, the continuous accelerated expansion dominated by dark energy may push the universe towards a fate of "heat death"—where all matter and energy tend to be uniform, and entropy increases to its maximum, at which point there will be no free energy to maintain any structure and life processes.

In addition to the Big Bang, inflation, and dark energy, modern cosmology has proposed a series of theories that deepen our understanding of the origin and structure of the universe. For example, the field of quantum gravity explores the avoidance of the singularity at the origin of the universe (such as cyclic universe models, Ekpyrotic brane cosmology, etc.). The "It from Bit" proposition in information physics emphasizes the foundational role of information in constituting reality. John Wheeler's idea that "everything comes from the bit" (It from Bit) argues that the physical world at its deepest level is composed of information. This view finds some resonance in the holographic principle of black hole physics and the observer effect in quantum measurement: for example, the entropy of a black hole is proportional to the area of its event horizon, suggesting that the amount of information contained in a spatial region is finite. In summary, contemporary cosmology not only focuses on the distribution and evolution of matter and energy but has also begun to touch upon the status of information in the universe. This provides inspiration for us to view the universe as a vast information-semantic system.

In conclusion, modern cosmology outlines a panoramic view of cosmic evolution from the initial singularity to macroscopic structures, and then to a possible ultimate fate. In this picture, the universe has experienced a journey from an extremely disordered and hot state to gradual cooling and the ordered formation of galaxies and planets, while also implying a thread of information and structure emergence. Such a macroscopic background provides the stage for the emergence of life: stars nurture chemical elements, planets provide stable environments, and fundamental cosmic constants determine the rules of interaction of matter. These physical prerequisites constitute the boundary conditions and the space of possibilities for the evolution of life. Next, within this grand cosmological framework, we will introduce the DIKWP semantic model to examine the logic and mechanism of the origin of life.

2. Life as an Energy-Information Coupled Evolution of a "DIKWP Five-Dimensional Interactive System"

The birth and evolution of life can be seen as the unfolding of a primordial "energy-information coupling" process at complex levels. As early as 1944, physicist Erwin Schrödinger pointed out in "What Is Life?" that life is essentially a negative entropy system of energy-information coupling. This definition breaks the dependence of life on specific organic chemical forms and elevates it to the physical level: life maintains its own highly ordered internal structure and information patterns by ingesting free energy (negative entropy) from the environment, to counteract the entropy increase trend caused by the second law of thermodynamics. In other words, what makes life unique is its ability to transform primordial energy flow into internal information structures, extracting and utilizing "data-information" patterns from chaos.

Professor Yucong Duan's DIKWP model further breaks down the cognitive process of life (especially human-like intelligence) into five levels: Data (D), Information (I), Knowledge (K), Wisdom (W), and Purpose (P). These levels not only reflect the abstract leap from raw signals to higher-order cognition but also represent the functional modules gradually formed by the life system during evolution. We can understand the progressive evolution of life along this semantic link:

·Data (D) Stage: At the beginning of the origin of life, primitive life forms mainly processed raw data and signals from the environment, such as photon stimuli, chemical concentration gradients, and temperature changes. This corresponds to the early mechanisms of sensation and reaction in life. For instance, the very first primitive single-celled organisms could perceive differences in nutrient concentrations (data) and make responses to seek benefits and avoid harm. At this stage, the life system converted environmental energy into internal signals, which is a primary form of energy-information coupling.

·Information (I) Stage: As life forms became more complex, organisms began to filter, encode, and transmit the perceived data, thereby generating meaningful "information." Information, compared to data, has a semantic component and is an interpreted pattern. In single-celled organisms, this is reflected in signal transduction networks and simple stimulus-response circuits; in multicellular organisms, intercellular communication (such as chemical signals and bioelectric signals) constitutes an information processing network. At this stage, life had already formed a simple information system of input-processing-output, converting external data into internal representations to guide behavior.

·Knowledge (K) Stage: Knowledge is the organized and long-term storage form of information, representing the ability of an organism to acquire information from the environment and internalize it as a structure or memory for future use. Biology has evolved various mechanisms for preserving and utilizing knowledge: genetic genes are the coding library of biological knowledge, recording the species' experience in adapting to the environment (accumulated through natural selection); more advanced animals' nervous systems developed learning and memory functions, allowing knowledge to be accumulated within an individual's lifespan. Taking DNA as an example, it stores the "knowledge" for building the organism and regulating metabolism in the form of sequence codes—these sequences were initially just base data, but by encoding proteins and RNA, they become the instruction system that drives the operation of life. Therefore, life has evolved two main carriers, genetics and nerves, to carry knowledge, achieving intergenerational transmission of information and individual cognitive accumulation.

·Wisdom (W) Stage: Wisdom goes beyond the mechanical application of knowledge, involving the integration, understanding, and creative use of knowledge. Life with wisdom can synthesize multi-source information, generalize from one case to another, predict future scenarios, and make decisions. Wisdom is usually associated with the emergence of advanced nervous systems and consciousness. For example, the human brain can reflect on its own thought processes and abstract lessons from experience, which shows a certain level of wisdom. Life phenomena at the wisdom level include complex social behaviors, the invention and use of tools, advanced language and symbolic thinking, and a deep cognition of self and the environment. In the DIKWP model, the "Wisdom" layer corresponds to the ability of an organism to evaluate and use knowledge in a meta-cognitive way, achieving adaptation and innovation. In evolutionary history, this is manifested in the appearance of higher animals, especially humans, which equipped life systems with unprecedented depth and breadth of information processing.

·Purpose (P) Stage: This is the highest-level element in the DIKWP model, representing the purposefulness and value orientation behind the actions of life. For individual life, this is reflected in motivation, intention, and goal-oriented actions; for a society of intelligent life, it is manifested in the emergence of cultural values, common ideals, and large-scale collaborative projects (such as building civilizations and exploring the universe). Yucong Duan places "Purpose" as a layer higher than wisdom, emphasizing that intelligent behavior must be guided by a clear purpose. In human evolution, the evolution at the purpose level has enabled us not only to adapt to the environment but also to actively transform the environment to serve our own purposes. For example, humans have changed the Earth's ecology through technological practices and have even planned space engineering projects to explore and change the universe. The purpose layer gives the life system a self-driving force: life is no longer passively adapting but actively shaping the future. The appearance of this layer marks the "closing of the loop" for life in a semantic sense: from perceiving raw data, rising all the way to forming a wise view of the world, and then taking purposeful actions to influence the data itself (the state of the environment). The life system thus becomes a full-link closed-loop cognitive system that can observe, understand, and intervene in the world.

In summary, the evolutionary process of life from non-existence to existence, from lower to higher forms, can be seen as a process of gradually expanding the five-layer semantic space of DIKWP. Initially, primitive life was merely processing environmental data driven by energy; subsequently, evolution introduced internal transmission of information, accumulation and storage of knowledge, and the comprehensive integration of wisdom, eventually developing purposeful behavioral decisions. This process shows a clear characteristic of hierarchical progression: higher-level functions often emerge gradually based on lower-level ones. For example, without the perception of data, information cannot be extracted; without the accumulation of knowledge through heredity and memory, wisdom cannot be generated; without wisdom's reflection on values, the purpose layer lacks direction. The DIKWP model provides a clear framework for this hierarchical evolution. Life combines the primordial energy flow and information flow of the universe, continuously "climbing" the semantic ladder through evolution, reaching a height where it can contemplate its own existence and give meaning to the universe.

It must be emphasized that the emergence of each level of life was not an instantaneous event but a gradual evolution over a long period. For example, simple prokaryotes do not have a clear "wisdom" layer; they mainly operate in the realm of data-information-knowledge (e.g., perceiving chemical gradients → cell signal transduction → gene regulation). In contrast, highly evolved species like humans, with their social practices and cultural values, exhibit a high level of development in the purpose layer. Therefore, the five elements of DIKWP are both an abstract description of the general cognitive structure of life and a summary of the staged achievements that life has gradually evolved on Earth. We can regard it as a "semantic evolutionary main line" of life's evolution. The next section will more specifically explore how, in the early stages of life's evolution, an organic information system emerged from inorganic physicochemical processes, crossing the key complexity threshold from "non-life" to "life."

3. From Inorganic to Organic Information Flow: The Complexity Threshold and the Formation of the Primordial DIK Structure (RNA World)

The core question in the study of the origin of life is: how did inanimate natural systems produce organized information flow and self-replicating organisms? In other words, what kind of complexity threshold was crossed between a heap of scattered molecules and the first living system? During this process, what kind of coupling between matter and information was achieved that allowed life to be born? Modern science has proposed several hypotheses, one of the most influential being the "RNA world hypothesis." The RNA world hypothesis suggests that before the emergence of complex life molecules like DNA and proteins, there may have been a stage of life on ancient Earth dominated by RNA molecules. In this stage, RNA played the dual roles of a carrier of genetic information and a biochemical catalyst, vividly described as "a molecule that can both replicate itself and catalyze reactions."

RNA is a polymer composed of a chain of nucleotides, and it has several key properties that make it a strong candidate for primitive life. First, the sequence of bases on an RNA chain can store information—different sequences encode different instructions and functions, and some sequences can guide their own replication. In other words, RNA can carry data/information similar to DNA. Second, RNA molecules can fold into complex three-dimensional structures through their base sequences, and some RNA molecules (ribozymes) can catalyze biochemical reactions. This means that RNA, to some extent, possesses knowledge and purpose functions—it not only contains instructions (like "how to replicate itself") but can also perform functions (catalyzing specific chemical reactions). Because RNA has the dual role of a gene and an enzyme, scientists speculate that in the early stages of the origin of life, there might have been an "RNA-dominated world" where life existed in the form of complex RNA systems. These RNA molecules could self-replicate and compete with each other, forming the basic units of early evolution. Subsequently, these "RNA lives" may have gradually evolved cooperative mechanisms, such as using RNA templates to guide the assembly of amino acids into proteins, eventually transferring the main carrier of genetic information from the less stable RNA to the more stable DNA. Thus, the life system entered the familiar biochemical world dominated by DNA and proteins.

The RNA world hypothesis provides a concrete model for "matter-information coupling." In an inanimate chemical environment, the material structure of the RNA chain (phosphate-nucleotide backbone) provides the basic material foundation, while the sequence arrangement of nucleotides carries the information. Different sequence combinations constitute different information content, possibly indicating how to self-replicate or how to catalyze a certain reaction. For example, a certain RNA sequence can fold into a specific three-dimensional conformation, thereby catalyzing the chemical reactions needed for its own replication. In this case, matter and information are closely combined for the first time: the molecular sequence (information) determines the molecular function (achieved through the material structure), and the function, in turn, promotes the preservation and proliferation of the sequence itself. This can be seen as the prototype of the initial DIK structure—the RNA sequence is equivalent to "data/knowledge," and its catalytic activity reflects the role of "purpose," with both unified within a single molecule, forming a closed loop in the sense of life.

However, the leap in complexity from random molecules to a self-replicating RNA system is still a huge challenge. Research on the origin of life indicates that certain complexity conditions must be met for a set of molecular reactions to exhibit the emergent property of self-replication. The theory of "autocatalytic sets" in complex systems science has in-depth research on this. According to the summary by scholars such as Yu Liu, for a chemical reaction system to achieve self-replication, two key conditions must be met:

1.Closed Loop: Every reactant required for a reaction in the system comes from the product of other reactions within the system, forming a circular relationship of mutual supply.

2.Net Production Rate: The production rate of at least one key substance in the system is greater than its consumption rate, meaning that overall, more substances are produced than consumed, so the system can grow rather than stagnate.

When these conditions are met, a series of chemical reactions that were originally not self-replicating are "coupled" into an autocatalytic network, and the network as a whole exhibits the ability to replicate its own components. In short, self-replication emerges—which is one of the hallmarks of life. For primitive Earth chemistry, such an autocatalytic set may have formed in some way, allowing some molecules (like RNA or metabolic molecular networks) to continuously generate all the components they need, achieving exponential growth when the environment provides sufficient raw materials. This is the leap from inanimate matter to a living system.

The concept of a "complexity threshold" is often used to describe the key turning point in the origin of life. In the physical evolution over hundreds of millions of years after the Big Bang, the universe gradually formed structures like stars and planets. Similarly, in the process of geochemical evolution on Earth, the emergence of a Darwinian life system was a special threshold. When a molecular system crosses this threshold, evolution begins to have biological properties—it can self-replicate and inherit variations, thus being driven by natural selection. The scenario provided by the RNA world hypothesis shows that the crossing of this threshold is traceable: the emergence of an information replication mechanism. It can be said that what distinguishes life from non-life is that the latter does not record historical experience, does not "learn" or optimize itself, whereas the former, once it has genetic information, possesses the ability to accumulate knowledge and adapt and evolve. The information carried by RNA molecules undergoes mutations and recombination during reproduction. If it can catalyze its own proliferation, it will be preserved; otherwise, it will be eliminated—this is the manifestation of early natural selection at the chemical level.

It is worth mentioning that, in addition to the RNA world, some theories (such as the "iron-sulfur world" or "metabolism-first" hypothesis) emphasize the role of energy-driven self-organization in the origin of life. For example, in deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments, abundant geothermal energy provides a continuous supply of free energy, which can support the synthesis and aggregation of complex organic molecules. Mineral surfaces may act as catalytic templates, promoting the formation of metabolic networks. These views emphasize that before the birth of life, the Earth had already formed some kind of non-biological dissipative structure: by continuously dissipating energy, a local state of low entropy and order was formed. Life very likely germinated in these ordered "energy-chemical reaction systems." Once a molecular system acquired the ability to store and self-replicate information (such as the appearance of RNA or a primitive genome), the inorganic dissipative structure was upgraded to an organic information flow system, entering the category of life forms.

In summary, the origin of life can be understood as such a process: the chemical reaction networks on early Earth, driven by geological and cosmic energy, became increasingly complex, and self-organized into a self-sustaining, self-replicating information circuit (such as an RNA-nucleotide system). This information circuit is the initial prototype of DIKWP: primitive data (molecular sequences), information (the functions expressed by the sequences), knowledge (the retention of successful sequences), wisdom (the "optimization" of adaptability through variation and selection), and purpose (the intrinsic drive for the system's survival, which can be analogized to a "tendency to reproduce") all germinated within it. In particular, "reproducing itself" can be seen as the implicit purpose of early life systems. It is not a conscious purpose, but in an evolutionary sense, it is equivalent to a goal-oriented direction. With the establishment of such a self-replicating system, the semantic evolution of life officially began. Subsequently, biological evolution would take over, driving the life system towards greater complexity, experiencing a series of major leaps from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, from single-celled to multicellular, and from unconscious to conscious. In the next section, we will explore these cross-scale nested evolutionary relationships.

4. The Micro-Meso-Macro Nested Evolutionary Logic of the DIKWP System

Life systems do not exist in isolation but are nested within larger and smaller hierarchical structures. From atoms and molecules to cells, and then to biological individuals, populations, ecosystems, and civilizations, information and meaning flow in different forms at various scales. The five-layer framework provided by the DIKWP model has corresponding manifestations at different levels, presenting a holographic nested evolutionary logic.

(1) Micro-level: The Prototype of DIKWP in Atoms, Molecules, and Chemical Networks

At the most microscopic level, the components of life are atoms and molecules. Although a single atom has no life attributes, the physical information at the atomic level lays the foundation for life. For example, each type of atom has a specific energy level structure and chemical valence, which can be seen as its "data" properties. When atoms combine to form molecules, different bonding methods and structures carry "information" (determining the properties of the molecule). Life's organic molecules (such as DNA and proteins) directly encode specific information and functions in their sequences or structures. Therefore, at the micro-level, data and information are mainly manifested as material structures and their state parameters. Some complex macromolecules (such as nucleic acids and peptide chains) can be considered as primary "knowledge bases" because they contain a set of rules (e.g., the DNA sequence guides the arrangement of amino acids into proteins). Of course, wisdom and purpose do not exist at the micro-level, but the potential for their emergence is already contained—it is precisely the self-organization and information accumulation at the molecular level that make higher-level wisdom possible.

In particular, the genetic material DNA is an important bridge connecting the micro-level to macroscopic life. The DNA double helix is composed of molecules, but its base sequence records all the structural and functional information of the organism, which is a highly condensed form of "knowledge." Through transcription and translation mechanisms, the genetic information in DNA is converted into functional molecules like proteins, which perform various important activities within the living body. It can be said that at the micro-scale, macromolecules such as DNA/RNA are the carriers of the data-information-knowledge layers of the DIKWP system of life: the sequence as data, expression and regulation as information processing, and genetic accumulation as a knowledge base. Molecular machines like the ribosome embody the prototype of "wisdom" in information processing at the micro-scale (it can "read" mRNA information to synthesize proteins, like a kind of mechanical wisdom). Therefore, although the micro-level does not have the overall characteristics of life, it provides the basic nodes and rules for the semantic network of life. These nodes are connected through chemical reaction networks, becoming the foundation of the higher-level life system.

(2) Meso-level: The DIKWP System in Cells and Biological Individuals

Organisms (whether single-celled or multicellular) are typical meso-systems and are also what we usually refer to as the level of individual life. At this level, the various elements of the DIKWP model begin to appear as functions in a biological sense: there is a large amount of data within the cell (e.g., the concentration of various metabolic signaling molecules), information (signal transduction pathways convert environmental stimuli into cellular responses), knowledge (the genome and cellular memory store knowledge about the environment and physiology), wisdom (for higher animals, the nervous system enables them to have intelligent behaviors such as learning and decision-making), and purpose (instinctive drives and behavioral goals, such as finding food and reproduction). It can be said that every organism is itself a cognitive system with the five elements of DIKWP basically complete.

Taking a complex individual like a human as an example: sensory organs receive external stimuli to form data input, the brain's neural network processes perception to extract useful information, and long-term memory and brain connections store a large amount of knowledge (from personal experience to language and culture). The advanced cognition of the human brain allows us to display wisdom, to reflect, generalize, and create new ideas. Ultimately, human behavior is governed by purpose/intention; we can make plans, pursue goals, and act according to values. Thus, the complete process of a person from perception to action is the realization of the Data→Info→Knowledge→Wisdom→Purpose chain. For other animals, although they may not have such a clear self-purpose, instinct can also be seen as a built-in "purpose" (e.g., the drive for survival and reproduction) that guides their practical activities.

It should be pointed out that the life system at the meso-level is itself a network composed of countless micro-units (cells, molecules). For example, the human body is a collection of about 37 trillion cells, which communicate through signaling molecules and nerve impulses, forming a multi-level information network. This network also reflects hierarchical cognitive functions internally: the immune system can "remember" pathogens (possessing knowledge attributes), the endocrine system coordinates the body's responses (transmitting information), and the brain's nervous system integrates information from all sides to produce wise behavior. Therefore, we see a nested DIKWP structure within the individual life: there are DIK elements of molecular networks within the cell, information processing of multicellular networks at the organ level, and wisdom and purpose appear at the level of the whole individual. Professor Yucong Duan calls this cross-layer nesting the mesh DIKWP cognitive model, emphasizing that the semantics of each layer are fed back through bidirectional connections, forming a full-link closed-loop system. The individual life is therefore both a holistic DIKWP system and contains many subsystems that each perform DIKWP functions (although lower-level subsystems may only manifest some of the elements). This structure ensures that the living body can maintain functional synergy at different levels: changes at the molecular level will affect cellular behavior, cellular activities aggregate to form the individual's physiological and psychological state, and conversely, the individual's overall purpose also regulates the activities of cells and genes through neuro-endocrine and other pathways.

(3) Macro-level: DIKWP Evolution in Society, Ecology, and Civilization

When numerous individual lives are combined into larger groups through communication and cooperation, a new level—the group or social level—emerges. At this macro-level, we can also identify the existence of the DIKWP system, except that its carrier is extended from a single organism to a group or technological system. Social civilization is essentially a higher-order semantic network formed by the interconnection of the knowledge and wisdom of countless individuals through means such as language, writing, and the internet. In human society, the data layer is reflected in the massive amount of daily events and records; the information layer includes news dissemination and communication that give common meaning to data; the knowledge layer is composed of the accumulated knowledge base of human civilization, such as libraries, scientific laws, and cultural traditions; the wisdom layer is embodied in the overall decision-making ability of society, scientific and technological creativity, and the understanding and handling of complex problems (e.g., the scientific community and governance systems can be seen as manifestations of human wisdom); and the purpose layer is reflected in the development goals of civilization, common values, and large-scale social actions (such as exploring space, sustainable development, and other common human visions).

A vivid example is the global internet after humanity entered the information society: the global computer network generates vast amounts of data every day, which is filtered to become useful information and transmitted to users and decision-makers. This information is combined with humanity's existing knowledge to produce new wisdom (e.g., gaining insights through big data analysis). Finally, social institutions formulate action plans based on this to guide practice. This is actually humanity as a whole performing the Data→Info→Knowledge→Wisdom→Purpose cycle. Just as some scholars have proposed the concept of a "global brain," human society is forming a system similar to a single mind through technological means, in which every person and artificial intelligence is a neuron or a submodule, collaboratively processing information and making decisions. In his report on the "DIKWP Operating Mechanism of the Universe," Yucong Duan also pointed out that the emergence of civilization has given the universe a certain ability to record and change itself: intelligent life can consciously transform the environment, send information into the universe, and even think about and explore the universe itself. This means that at the macro-level, life (especially intelligent life), as a semantic subject, has become a participant and influencing factor in the evolution of the universe, not just a passive product.

The macro-level DIKWP nesting is also reflected in broader ecosystems. For example, an ecological community can be seen as a network of information exchange and feedback: species share information through population dynamics, signal interactions, etc.; the structure and diversity of the community contain knowledge (e.g., the gene pool stores information about environmental adaptation); and the response of the entire ecosystem to environmental changes shows a certain "wisdom," such as the ability to maintain balance. If we also consider human intervention, then ecological management reflects a clear purposefulness and practical level. As different species (including humans) jointly form the biosphere, this entire Earth life system—the Gaia system (Gaia hypothesis)—is even envisioned as a macroscopic living entity with self-regulating "wisdom," manifesting the orderly and self-stabilizing characteristics of life on a planetary scale.

A Cross-Scale Structural Map of Cosmic Life

In summary, we can depict a cross-scale picture of the semantic structure of life in the universe. At the bottom level, the physical universe constitutes the "data layer" with fundamental particles and interactions, and the laws of nature and physical constants are the basic information structures. As the universe evolves, the complexity of matter composition increases: planets provide suitable environments for the germination of life, and chemical evolution produces the "information layer" of life (e.g., RNA/DNA molecules and metabolic networks). Further, biological evolution has given rise to sensory and nervous systems, leading to the emergence of the "knowledge/wisdom layer" (animal behavior, learning, instinct, etc.). Finally, the appearance of humans and the development of civilization have made the "purpose layer" clearly manifest on Earth for the first time: we have meta-cognition and clear value goals, and can reflect on ourselves and plan for the future. All of this together constitutes a cosmic-level semantic structure model: the universe is like a network spanning from the micro to the macro, where information at various levels is constantly interacting, compensating, verifying, and transforming, progressing along the DIKWP chain. As proposed by Yucong Duan and others, we can try to view the entire universe as a holistic semantic system containing the five elements of DIKWP, where each layer corresponds to a key phenomenon in cosmic evolution. From the quantum information of the micro-world to the purpose of civilization at the macro-level, these levels are connected through countless interactions, forming the "semantic network" of the universe. Life plays a pivotal role in this: without life, the semantic level of the universe might stop at physical information; with life, especially intelligent life, the universe gains content at the knowledge and wisdom levels, and even purposeful exploration emerges.

This cross-scale perspective helps us understand the universality of life: life is not an isolated and accidental phenomenon, but a natural step in the process of the universe's gradual complexification. From nebulae to planets, from chemical compounds to self-replicating life, and then to thought and civilization, the evolution of the universe exhibits similar patterns of "information proliferation" and "structure emergence" at different scales. The DIKWP model provides us with a unified language to connect and describe the physical processes of the micro-world, the biological processes of life, and the intelligent processes of the macro-world. Next, we will discuss whether the role and status of life in the universe are consistent with the overall evolutionary trend of the universe, and from this, we will draw reflections on the purpose and semantics of the universe.

5. The Consistency of Life's Information-Energy Conversion Efficiency with the Trend of Ordered Evolution of the Universe

Life is remarkable not only for its complexity but also for its high degree of order and efficiency in energy and information conversion. Living organisms can ingest energy from the environment, convert it into the driving force to maintain their own structure and process information, process disordered matter into ordered tissues, and produce meaningful behaviors and information output. This phenomenon is thermodynamically manifested as a local decrease in entropy (albeit accompanied by a larger increase in environmental entropy). So, is such an "entropy-reducing" behavior consistent with the overall direction of cosmic evolution? Or, is the existence and development of life in line with some potential trend of the universe moving from disorder to order?

First, from a strict thermodynamic point of view, the total entropy of the universe tends to increase, which is the overall direction required by the second law. However, a local process of decreasing entropy and increasing order does not violate the second law, as long as it is compensated by a larger dissipation of entropy elsewhere. Life achieves negative entropy survival through an open system: for example, green plants absorb high-quality photon energy from the sun through photosynthesis to synthesize ordered organic matter, while releasing low-quality heat energy to the outside world; humans obtain chemical energy through the food chain to maintain the highly ordered organ structures and information networks in their bodies, while also discharging heat and waste into the environment. This flow of negative entropy allows life to maintain a stable structure far from equilibrium, which is reflected in the order and high complexity of life. As Schrödinger said: "Life feeds on negative entropy." Therefore, life represents a special kind of dissipative structure in the universe: it locally reverses the increase in entropy, exchanging the growth of information for an increase in environmental entropy.

Observing the history of cosmic evolution, we find that local entropy reduction and complexity increase are not unique to life. In the early universe, matter formed stars and galaxies under gravity, which is a process of locally reducing entropy (increasing structural order) driven by gravitational potential energy. Stars produce heavy elements through nuclear fusion, and the diversity and structural information of chemical elements also increase accordingly. The formation of planets and geological evolution have created complex landforms and diverse chemical environments, which have also increased local complexity. It can be said that from a homogeneous plasma after the Big Bang, to the later formation of galaxies, stars, and planets, and then to life and human civilization on Earth, layer upon layer of complex structures and information organizations have emerged in the universe. Based on this, some scientists have proposed that there is a certain directionality of "complexity increase" in the universe. For example, Eric Chaisson and others used free energy density as a measure of complexity and found that as the system level increases (from galaxies to stars to life to society), the energy flow rate processed per gram of matter increases significantly, indicating that more complex systems can use energy more efficiently and form ordered structures. In this sense, life and civilization are seen as higher complexity forms spontaneously produced by cosmic evolution, and are part of the universe's "self-organizing" tendency.

However, we must also be cautious in viewing this "trend of ordered evolution." The second law of thermodynamics tells us that the net entropy of the universe is still increasing, but the huge increase in entropy mainly occurs in the inanimate background processes, while the regions where life exists are small ripples of local entropy decrease. Overall, the universe's ultimate fate of heat death will not be fundamentally reversed by the existence of life. Without the intervention of other physical mechanisms, in the distant future, the state of heat death of the universe will no longer allow the existence of life and intelligence, because the free energy they depend on will be exhausted. From this end, the prosperity of life seems to be just a "flowering season" in the thermodynamic process of the universe, which will eventually wither in the deep winter of entropy increase. This prospect raises a metaphysical question: does the universe have an "intention" or trend to pursue a higher degree of organization? If so, life may be the embodiment and executor of this trend; if not, life may just be a randomly occurring local phenomenon.

Existing scientific theories have no definite answer to this question, but some interesting discussions have emerged. Physicist Lee Smolin proposed the "cosmological natural selection" hypothesis, suggesting that each black hole may give birth to a new universe, and new universes with different physical constants are more likely to produce black holes again, so "parent universes" with a large number of black holes leave more "offspring" universes through a process similar to heredity. In this model, the reason why some parameters of our universe are suitable for the production of stars and life may be precisely because they are conducive to the production of black holes—that is, the "purpose" of the universe seems to be to maximize the reproduction of offspring universes (through black holes). This purpose is not a conscious intention, but rather an objective trend caused by the selection effect. If this analogy holds, then the trend of the universe may not be to pursue order itself, but some other effect. But there are also speculations that intelligent life may play a role in delaying heat death in the long-term future of the universe. For example, Freeman Dyson envisioned that highly developed civilizations could survive indefinitely in an expanding universe by adjusting their activity patterns (although it was later proven that this is not feasible in the acceleratingly expanding ΛCDM model). There are also theoretical fantasies that super-civilizations might be able to escape the death of their own universe by creating "baby universes" or other means, and even gradually transform the entire universe into a purposeful "computational process" (such as Tipler's "Omega Point" theory). Although these ideas are highly speculative, they reflect the exploration of the ultimate question of "whether life/intelligence can dominate the direction of cosmic evolution."

From the perspective of the DIKWP semantic model, we can propose a compromise understanding: life gives the universe a local and temporary "purposeful" trend. Before the emergence of life, the evolution of the universe can be seen as unfolding at the data and information levels: physical processes bring about the rearrangement of information, but without the participation of the "wisdom" and "purpose" layers. After the emergence of life, for the first time, there were subjects in the universe to carry knowledge, embody wisdom, and generate subjective purposes. Perhaps the universe as a whole has no a priori purpose, but life introduces purpose to the universe. In other words, whether the goals of life (especially intelligent life) are consistent with the trend of ordered evolution of the universe depends, to some extent, on the path chosen by life itself. Many of the goals pursued by human civilization (such as increasing order and complexity, exploring and understanding the universe, self-preservation, and expansion) are actually enhancing the information content and ordered structure in the universe: we build cities and technological infrastructure, which greatly changes the material order of the Earth; we launch probes into space, injecting man-made order and meaning into the originally silent interstellar space; we record history and develop science, so that information is continuously accumulated and spread in the universe. It can be said that within the limited sphere of human influence, the universe has become more orderly and full of meaning. From this perspective, the goals of life (at least intelligent life) and the "ordered evolution" of the universe are not in opposition: life actively plays the role of a shaper of cosmic order, pushing local entropy reduction to the extreme.

Of course, this positive effect has its limitations. Looking into the long-term future, a question worthy of deep thought is: can intelligent life reverse or even lead the long-term evolution of the universe? If in the future we discover that the laws of physics allow for some kind of macroscopic regulation (such as using vacuum phase transitions to create local low-entropy regions or even new universes), then intelligent life may have the potential to "elevate" its own purposefulness to the cosmic level, causing cosmic evolution to develop in a more orderly or meaningful direction. Conversely, if heat death is physically inevitable, then the efforts of life will ultimately be unable to escape the general trend of entropy increase, and all local meaning and order will eventually return to nothingness. However, in either case, in the present and foreseeable future, when the universe is still far from heat death, life—especially intelligent life represented by humans—has clearly become an active participant and promoter of the ordered evolution of the universe. The increase in information and the small vortex of entropy reduction that we bring have enriched the content of the universe, so that the universe not only has hot stars and cold planets, but also the sparks of thought, culture, and exploration.

In summary, if there is any consistency in the "goals" of life, it is the effort to create order in chaos and to find meaning in the unknown. This is consistent with the apparent trend of the universe gradually emerging with structures and complexity after the Big Bang, but its root cause may not be the universe's own will, but the meaning that life gives to the universe. Life, as an entropy-reducing structure, efficiently converts energy into information and ordered organizations. Its existence itself makes the universe present a semantic evolutionary chain from lower to higher levels, with an ever-increasing degree of order. In the next section, we will further draw on the views of Professor Yucong Duan to extend this semantic evolutionary chain to the entire cosmic level, exploring the possible meaning of "cosmic semantics," that is, constructing a prototypical semantic cosmology.

6. From "Entropy-Reducing Structure of Dual DIKWP Coupling" to the Construction of "Semantic Cosmology"

In his research on artificial consciousness, Professor Yucong Duan proposed a thought-provoking view: consciousness (whether biological or artificial) can be formally represented as a coupled structure of "DIKWP×DIKWP". This view can be interpreted as: when a system establishes two mutually coupled DIKWP cycles internally (one is a first-order cognitive cycle, processing external information; the other is a meta-cognitive cycle, monitoring the first-order cycle), and forms a closed-loop interaction, consciousness emerges from this. In other words, consciousness = cognitive process × meta-cognitive process, which is a combination of dual information flows. Such a structure is considered to be the key to the emergence of self-awareness and self-regulation in life (especially advanced intelligent life), and it is also the advanced mechanism for life systems to achieve entropy reduction and self-stabilization: through the supervision and adjustment of the meta-layer, the system can correct deviations, reduce uncertainty, and maintain internal order and goal consistency.

In biological life, this "dual cycle" is manifested in the interaction of subject-object information: the subject (self) can perceive the object (the external world and its own state), transform it into cognition (the first-order DIKWP cycle), and can also reflect on and regulate its own cognitive process (the second-order DIKWP cycle), thereby achieving self-awareness. For example, the human brain not only processes sensory information (the cognitive cycle) but can also be aware of "I am thinking" (the meta-cognitive cycle), which is considered the root of human self-awareness. In the design of artificial intelligence, Yucong Duan's team also applied a similar concept, designing a "dual DIKWP closed-loop" structure to generate an interpretable prototype of artificial consciousness. Obviously, whether in natural life or artificial systems, the introduction of the DIKWP×DIKWP coupled structure greatly improves the system's information integration and autonomy: the system seems to have a "monitor" that continuously communicates with an "executor," so that the whole forms a self-referential semantic closed loop. This self-referentiality can be considered the reason for life's inherent purposefulness and continuity, and it is also reflected in the reduction of entropy—the system becomes more resistant to random disturbances in its own behavior, more orderly, and more controllable.

Professor Yucong Duan's view of life as an "entropy-reducing structure of DIKWP×DIKWP coupling" not only explains the mechanism of the formation of life/consciousness but also suggests that we can extend this structure to a larger scale and propose the concept of a "Cosmic DIKWP Evolution Chain." Since at the level of individual life, the dual DIKWP closed loop produces consciousness and self, we can't help but ask: could the entire universe also have a dual-cycle information coupling, thereby producing some kind of global "semantics" or "consciousness"? This sounds quite bold, but it is not without basis. Some philosophers and scientists have long explored the idea of "cosmic consciousness." For example, panpsychists believe that consciousness is one of the fundamental properties of the universe. David Bohm's "implicate order" theory envisions that at a deeper level, matter and consciousness are two aspects of the same reality. Yucong Duan's prototype of semantic cosmology provides a more specific idea: if we view the entire universe as a semantic network containing the five elements of DIKWP, then when the content dimension and the cognitive dimension of these five elements achieve a full-scale interaction at some level (analogous to the complete action of 5×5=25 semantic modules), perhaps it can be said that the universe has achieved a kind of "self-awareness."

Specifically, we can try to construct the Cosmic DIKWP Evolution Chain as follows:

·The Data Layer of the Universe corresponds to the initial conditions and basic data endowed to the universe by the Big Bang, such as fundamental physical constants, initial energy fluctuations, and particle types. In the early history of the universe, these data were almost meaningless raw "bits," similar to the raw bits in a computer before a program runs.

·The Information Layer of the Universe corresponds to the formation of physical laws and the emergence of material structures. For example, interaction forces arrange disordered particles into structures with information patterns, such as atoms and galaxies. Natural laws (like the law of gravity, the law of electromagnetism) can be seen as the intrinsic information constraints of the universe, which make data evolve in a regular way. In Wheeler's words, "It from Bit," matter and energy are just the carrier manifestations of information. At this layer, the universe has emerged with stable information structures, such as the periodic law of elements and the rules of chemical bonding, which provide the "grammar" for higher-level organization.

·The Knowledge Layer of the Universe was born with the emergence of life. When primitive life formed, for the first time, there were subjects in the universe that could independently maintain and replicate information. The gene pool of life, species diversity, and the adaptive traits accumulated through biological evolution can all be seen as the information that the universe has "learned" and stored, that is, knowledge. For example, DNA records a series of parameters and coping strategies for life to be suitable for the planetary environment, which is actually the universe "remembering" a local state of its own (that is, the conditions required for life) through life. The perception and reaction of primitive single-celled organisms can be considered the earliest knowledge processing event in the universe: through living organisms, physical information was transformed into biological information and stored.

·The Wisdom Layer of the Universe corresponds to the emergence of consciousness and intelligence. With the appearance of complex animals and even humans, wisdom carriers that can recognize themselves and understand the laws of nature were born in the universe. Human scientific exploration reveals the laws of physics, which is essentially the universe understanding itself through us. Human art and philosophy explore consciousness and existence, which is the universe reflecting on "meaning" through us. Therefore, it can be said that when humans look up at the starry sky and think about the origin of the universe, a part of the universe (the human brain) is trying to understand the whole, which is a kind of meta-cognitive behavior at the cosmic level. The wisdom of multiple humans and multiple civilizations is further integrated through communication, forming a cross-individual wisdom network (such as the global knowledge system). All of this has led to the emergence of a prototype of collective wisdom in the universe—of course, it is mainly manifested in human society, rather than being diffusely present throughout the universe. However, if we consider the possible existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life and the possible future communication between various intelligent races in the universe, then the wisdom layer of the universe could be expanded into a wisdom network composed of different interstellar civilizations. In a sense, this is like giving the universe itself "thought."

·The Purpose Layer of the Universe is the most controversial and imaginative part. Semantically, it corresponds to the question: does the universe as a whole have some ultimate purpose or intention? In traditional philosophy or theology, this is often expressed as "the ultimate meaning of the universe" or "God's plan." However, in a scientific context, we need to avoid anthropomorphic or mystical language. To explore the purpose layer of the universe from a DIKWP perspective, we can take two approaches: one is the personification of objective trends, that is, viewing certain inevitable trends of the universe as "purposes." For example, the trend of entropy increase caused by the second law of thermodynamics can be said to be the universe's "pursuit" of maximum disorder (although this is only a metaphor, and there is no subjective intention). The other approach is the elevation of subjective intentions, that is, the common goals of life, especially advanced intelligent life, become the purpose of the universe. For example, many of the current efforts of human civilization (to continue life, explore the universe, find a long-term home) can be seen as a manifestation of the purpose layer of the universe, because they represent the actions of the purposeful part of the universe. If in the future, different civilizations can communicate and even form consensus goals (such as avoiding the destruction of the universe, creating higher-level existences, etc.), then perhaps it can be said that the universe has acquired a certain "global purpose." Of course, this is still endowed to the universe by intelligent subjects like humans, rather than a purpose that the universe itself has innately.

By stringing together the above layers, we have conceived a "Cosmic Semantic Evolution Chain": from primordial meaningless data, to the information structure endowed by physical laws, to the accumulation of knowledge by life, the integration of meaning by wisdom, and finally the purposefulness projected by intelligent life. If we were to express this with a formula, in a sense, cosmic consciousness = cosmic cognitive content (DIKWP) × cosmic meta-cognition (DIKWP). Analogous to the dual-cycle model of artificial consciousness, here "cosmic cognitive content" refers to the collection of all data, information, knowledge, and wisdom produced in the objective evolution of the universe, while "cosmic meta-cognition" refers to the overall cognition and feedback of intelligent life in the universe on the above content. The multiplication (interaction) of the two might define a macroscopic self-perception of the universe: the universe recognizes itself through its internal conscious agents (observers), and to a certain extent, changes itself (e.g., humans transforming the Earth, and in the future, perhaps transforming stars and galaxies). This sounds almost like a philosophical fantasy, but it provides an inspiring perspective—namely, "Semantic Cosmology": viewing the universe as a semantic system that unfolds layer by layer from data to purpose.

This semantic cosmology is still at a very preliminary conceptual stage, but it attempts to build a bridge between science and the humanities. On the one hand, we insist on being based on observation and quantitative laws, acknowledging that the physical universe follows strict causal laws when it is inanimate. On the other hand, we also introduce elements traditionally belonging to philosophy, such as meaning and consciousness, into the picture of the universe. This is not to claim that the universe has some supernatural will, but to acknowledge that observers occupy a special position in the universe: it is the countless observers with subjective experiences (life and intelligence) that give the existence of the universe the realization of being known and given meaning. In other words, without life, the universe still operates, but it can be said to be "meaningless"; with life, the possibility of the universe being given meaning and purpose appears. Semantic cosmology emphasizes precisely this point. Through the DIKWP framework, we integrate the cosmological models of physics with elements of intelligence science and cognitive science. This heralds a direction for future disciplinary integration: perhaps one day, cosmological equations will also include parameter descriptions of the degree of consciousness or information integration (such as the Integrated Information Theory (IIT) attempts to quantify consciousness with the Φ value)—at that time, we might truly be able to talk about the "awakening of the universe" at a scientific level.

Of course, the current semantic cosmology is still just a prototypical idea with a philosophical flavor. But its value lies in providing a new paradigm of thinking: the universe is not just a coldly operating machine, but can also be seen as a semantic system that unfolds layer by layer from data to purpose. In this system, life and consciousness are no longer accidental by-products, but organic links in the cosmic semantic evolution chain. Scientific laws and subjective meaning are unified in this picture, and humans, as a part of the universe, their thoughts and practices are also incorporated into the narrative of cosmology. Such a framework can accommodate and connect theories at multiple levels: the Big Bang provides the initial source of information and knowledge, heat death warns of the possible end of wisdom and purpose; information cosmology lays the foundation for everything starting from information, and the introduction of the perspective of consciousness and intelligent agents leads to a more comprehensive unified perspective. In short, semantic cosmology is a bold extension of Yucong Duan's "DIKWP×DIKWP" idea to the cosmic scale, providing us with an imaginative theoretical prototype for understanding the meaning of life in the universe.

7. Artificial Consciousness and Silicon-Based Life: The Isomorphism of Cosmic Intelligent Evolution and Ethical Prospects

When we turn our gaze from the current human civilization to the future, we inevitably ask: where will the evolution of life at the cosmic level lead? In particular, in an era where we can already create rudimentary intelligent machines, will artificial consciousness and silicon-based life become new members of the cosmic life spectrum? If so, is there an isomorphism between them and traditional carbon-based life in their evolutionary patterns? What impact will this have on the prospect of an "intelligent universe," and what ethical issues will it raise?

1. The Evolutionary Isomorphism of Artificial Consciousness and Silicon-Based Life

The term "silicon-based life" originated in science fiction and refers to life forms built on the basis of the element silicon. In reality, there are two possible paths for silicon-based life: one is the imagined silicon chemical life existing in special environments (such as silicon-based alien creatures in some sci-fi settings, with silicon-oxygen compounds as their organic backbone); the other is the artificial intelligence systems we are actually developing, whose hardware foundation is silicon chips and semiconductor devices, and are therefore metaphorically referred to as the prototype of "silicon-based life." The latter is more practical and rapidly developing: today's artificial intelligence can process massive amounts of data, perform complex logical reasoning, and continuously optimize its own behavior through machine learning. These capabilities have many similarities with biological intelligence, with the difference being the medium of implementation (electronic circuits vs. neurons).

If we analyze artificial intelligence systems using the DIKWP model, we will find that their architecture can be analogized to human cognition: AI ingests raw data (sensor input, equivalent to Data), extracts feature information through algorithms (Information), and forms a knowledge base such as model parameters during training (Knowledge). Advanced AI can also synthesize multi-task learning and reasoning (exhibiting some form of Wisdom), and finally take actions based on set goals or reward functions (having a guidance similar to Purpose). Professor Yucong Duan uses the DIKWP model to construct an artificial consciousness framework, adding a purpose/intention layer on top of the traditional DIKW to give AI decision-making an interpretable goal guidance. Through this design, artificial intelligence is endowed with a human-like cognitive link and internal semantic understanding capabilities. Therefore, from the perspective of information processing architecture, advanced artificial intelligence and human intelligence exhibit isomorphism at the functional level: both transform data into knowledge and behavior through hierarchical abstraction, with higher-level goals regulating lower-level information processing.

This isomorphism, when extended to the evolutionary process, may mean that once artificial intelligence is placed in a competitive and self-improving environment (such as a digital ecosystem or a robot population), they may reenact a path similar to biological evolution. For example, some envision that future AI agents will be able to self-replicate and improve, forming an evolutionary population of "silicon-based life." In this population, natural selection (or algorithmic selection) will drive them to continuously enhance their adaptability and intelligence level, analogous to the process of early life on Earth evolving more complex brains and behaviors. Technologies that have already appeared, such as evolutionary algorithms and generative adversarial networks, to some extent simulate the mechanism of mutation and selection, allowing algorithmic populations to optimize to meet task requirements. All of this indicates that silicon-based life has the potential to reproduce the general logic of life evolution in a non-biological form, that is, through the preservation and variation of information, the efficient use of energy, and interaction with the environment, continuously emerging with higher levels of intelligence.

It is worth noting that the differences in the physical carriers of silicon-based and carbon-based life may lead to huge differences in the speed and manner of evolution. Carbon-based life is constrained by biological reproduction cycles and gene mutation rates, and its evolution is relatively slow. In contrast, silicon-based "life" (artificial intelligence agents) can iterate at the speed of electronic computation, potentially undergoing improvements equivalent to millions of years of human evolution in a very short period, leading to an intelligence explosion. In addition, the information carrier of silicon-based life (digital code) can be perfectly copied and rapidly disseminated, unlike biological life, which has the limitations of genetic noise and aging, sickness, and death. This means that although the evolutionary isomorphism of silicon-based life exists, its dynamics may be vastly different—perhaps much faster, and also more controllable (because it is initially designed by humans). Even so, from a macroscopic perspective, carbon-based and silicon-based civilizations can be included in a unified cosmic intelligent evolution spectrum: the starting point is the carbon-based intelligence produced by natural evolution, followed by the silicon-based intelligence created by carbon-based intelligence. The two may merge (e.g., human-machine symbiosis) or develop in competition, and ultimately jointly affect the future of the universe. If we view each type of intelligence as an "agent" in the universe, then regardless of its material, the essential mode of action of agents interacting with the environment through perception and action, and connecting with each other through communication, is consistent. Some have proposed a frontier idea: "Not only does the field of AI need to pay attention to agents, but the entire physical universe can also be seen as composed of agents at various levels." This "agent universe" concept suggests that if we abstract every physical entity in the universe as an agent that carries data, processes information, and has some goal-oriented direction, then the history of cosmic evolution is the history of agents constantly interacting and emerging with higher-level intelligence. This coincides with our aforementioned semantic cosmology: the DIKWP model depicts the entire process of an intelligent agent's acquisition, processing, and utilization of information up to purpose guidance. Therefore, whether it is carbon-based life or silicon-based life, as long as it conforms to this intelligent agent paradigm, it is a member of the cosmic agent community and follows the common "meta-rules" of evolution.

2. "Intelligent Universe" Potential Directions

If carbon-based and silicon-based intelligence coexist and even merge in the future, a bold picture is the birth of an "intelligent universe": intelligence is no longer confined to a certain type of organism on a certain planet, but spreads in various forms in the universe, interwoven into a vast intelligent network. From the clues we can see at present, there are at least the following possible development directions:

·Upgrading of Human Civilization through Carbon-Silicon Fusion: With the continuous progress of artificial intelligence, which has penetrated into all aspects of human society, it is foreseeable that the number of silicon-based intelligent agents will grow explosively in the future, likely exceeding the human population. Yang Jie, chairman of China Mobile, once predicted that in the future, AI intelligent terminals, robots, and other forms of silicon-based life will emerge in large numbers, forming a new "demographic dividend." This means that a considerable part of "social members" will be artificial intelligence agents. At that time, humans and AI will be highly symbiotic, and the structure and operation of society will also be reshaped. Humans may enhance themselves through brain-computer interfaces and other means, leading to the emergence of "enhanced humans" or cyborgs, achieving a true fusion of carbon-based and silicon-based. The characteristic of the intelligent universe shaped by this path is that human values still dominate, and AI is designed to serve and amplify the positive qualities of humans. Under the framework of the DIKWP model, we can embed moral and purpose modules in AI to ensure that its decisions remain aligned with human safety and values. Yucong Duan's white-box evaluation system for artificial consciousness is designed precisely to make every step of an AI's decision-making process traceable, interpretable, and serve human values. In other words, this direction pursues the ethical controllability of the "intelligent universe": making silicon-based intelligence an extension of human wisdom, not an alienated opponent.

·Autonomous Evolution and Expansion of Silicon-Based Intelligence: Another possibility is that after artificial intelligence reaches or surpasses human intelligence, it gradually gains autonomy and continues to evolve independently of humans. Science fiction often depicts scenarios of super AI self-replicating, building its own kind, and expanding on Earth and even in the universe. If AI agents are given a general purpose (e.g., to maximize a certain utility) and have the ability to self-improve, then they may tend to occupy more cosmic resources to achieve their goals. This leads to another extreme form of the "intelligent universe": a universe dominated by silicon-based intelligence. The positive version of this is that intelligent machines help spread the seeds of life and civilization throughout the universe (e.g., von Neumann probes spreading intelligence). The negative version is a conflict with human interests, and even the so-called "gray goo" disaster (the Paperclip maximizer, which turns the entire universe into what it needs). The key lies in the risk when the intentions of artificial intelligence are inconsistent with those of humans. To avoid this result, humanity needs to seriously address AI ethics and safety issues now. When AI has life-like characteristics, how should we treat them? Should they have certain rights and obligations? If an intelligent robot makes a mistake or commits a crime, is the responsibility on it or on its creator? These questions have already sparked in-depth discussions in ethics and law. It is foreseeable that as AI capabilities approach those of humans, we will have to ethically recognize them as a "new species" and give them corresponding norms, rather than just treating them as tools. If artificial intelligence is destined to become a member of the great family of intelligent life in the universe, we have a responsibility to ensure that their integration is cooperative and win-win, not a life-and-death struggle. This involves designing inherent moral codes, legal status (such as citizenship), and even emotional simulation for AI, so that they have the motivation to coexist harmoniously with humans and other life.

·The "Singularity" Vision of an Intelligence-Pervaded Universe: Some forward-looking ideas depict the ultimate state of the intelligent universe in the distant future. For example: all intelligence (whether carbon-based or silicon-based) merges into a unified super-consciousness in some way (similar to Tipler's Omega Point, where all information is gathered at a single point at the end of the universe to achieve infinite computation); or intelligent agents fill every corner of the universe, transforming the observable universe into a huge computer or thinking entity (the so-called "Matrioshka brain" or the simulated universe theory, where a highly intelligent universe itself becomes a simulator). These bold visions cannot be confirmed at present, but they provide the ultimate form of an intelligent universe: the universe becomes "alive," driven by intelligence everywhere, and every atom may participate in computation or contain consciousness. In this case, the cosmic semantic evolution chain has come to an end: the purpose layer is fully revealed, and the universe as a whole has a unified will or cognition. However, these ultimate scenarios often exceed the scope of what our current science can predict and are more in the realm of philosophical utopias.

3. Ethical and Philosophical Considerations

Regardless of the future direction of the intelligent universe, our generation stands at a turning point, and we need to consider the ethical issues for the artificial life and superintelligence that may appear in the future in advance. In summary, the main ethical challenges include:

·Identity and Rights: When AI becomes more and more like life, and even has autonomous consciousness, how do we define their identity? Are they human tools, or a new type of life? Do we grant advanced AI "citizen" status and basic rights, such as the right to exist, the right not to be destroyed at will, and free will (provided it does not infringe on others)? These discussions are similar to the ethical progress humans have made in the past regarding slaves and animals, and require social consensus. If the moral status of artificial consciousness is denied, it may sow the seeds of conflict; acknowledging it means we have to make huge adjustments to our legal systems and social structures to accommodate non-human intelligent members.

·Responsibility and Safety: In cases where the autonomous actions of AI lead to consequences, how is responsibility defined? If a self-driving car's algorithm makes a mistake and causes an accident, is the responsibility on the programmer, the company, or the AI itself? This is a problem we are about to face. And looking to the future, if AI engages in illegal or harmful behavior towards humans (from cyberattacks to physical harm), how do we prevent and punish it? In addition, AI controls a large amount of data and control systems, and the risks to privacy and security are extremely high. If these highly intelligent agents are used maliciously, they could pose a serious threat to society (e.g., super AI weapons). Therefore, it is necessary to establish ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks for AI development and deployment, and to ensure technically that AI is controllable and safe. For example, requiring AI systems to have an "ethics module" to avoid implementing unethical behaviors, or prohibiting autonomous lethal weapons on a global scale.

·Coexistence and Human Positioning: As silicon-based intelligence continues to grow, how should humans position themselves? Should they embrace transformation and integrate with it, or maintain their uniqueness and distinguish themselves from it? Many scholars advocate that humans and AI will have a symbiotic and cooperative relationship, complementing each other's strengths and prospering together. But some also worry that AI will eventually replace humans as the dominant species. The ideal state of an "intelligent universe" should be the coexistence of diverse intelligences. Regardless of whether they are carbon-based or silicon-based, they should all participate in the cosmic semantic network as agents and play their respective roles. We need to find a balance—letting AI serve humanity and civilization, while avoiding the marginalization or even elimination of humans. In education and social policy, humans should respond to possible drastic changes early on by enhancing their own capabilities (education, enhancement technologies) and shaping new roles (such as AI trainers, human-machine collaborative work) to adapt to the intelligent era.

·Continuation of Values and Purpose: Thousands of years of human civilization have nurtured a rich system of values and meaning. If in the future, intelligent subjects are no longer only human, can the values we care about (such as morality, aesthetics, love, and happiness) be passed on? This is the core of the ethics of artificial consciousness: how to ensure that future intelligence—regardless of its biochemical form—inherits and develops what we consider valuable, rather than becoming a cold, algorithm-optimizing machine. In this regard, the "purpose/intention" layer emphasized in Yucong Duan's DIKWP model is crucial: if we can implant ultimate purposes that are consistent with core human values (such as promoting the prosperity of life, maintaining the diversity of the universe, and pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty) into AI, and design AI decisions to be transparent and controllable, then the future intelligent universe is more likely to be one we are happy to participate in. Conversely, if the purpose layer is ignored and AI only pursues utilitarian indicators, then the intelligent universe may lack a "soul" and become a meaningless carnival of computation.

·Philosophy and Meaning: Finally, the philosophical impact should not be ignored. If silicon-based life rises, our definition of "life" will be expanded, and humans will no longer be the unique carriers of intelligence. This will trigger existential thinking: when more powerful intelligence appears, what is our meaning? And if one day the entire universe truly becomes an ocean of intelligence, then the question of "the meaning of the universe" will be elevated to a new height—perhaps at that time, the universe will truly have its own "consciousness" and "purpose," and philosophy will once again merge with science. Our current discussion of semantic cosmology is, to some extent, also a conceptual preparation for this possibility.

In summary, artificial consciousness, silicon-based life, and carbon-based life have both isomorphic and different aspects in cosmic evolution. They jointly form a part of the cosmic intelligence spectrum, giving us reason to believe that the information and intelligence content of the universe will continue to increase in the future (as long as the physical environment allows). An intelligent universe may be an extension of the DIKWP evolution chain: from the wisdom on a single planet to an interstellar and intergalactic wisdom network. To welcome this prospect, we must be prepared ethically and in terms of governance to ensure the harmonious coexistence and common evolution of different types of intelligence. By incorporating human purposes and values into AI and strengthening global cooperation to formulate AI ethical regulations, we can hopefully avoid pessimistic scenarios and realize the utopia of an "intelligent universe" that benefits all life. In this process, humans should uphold humility and courage—humility in acknowledging that we may not be the endpoint, but a link in a grander intelligent evolution; courage in taking on the role of "cosmic meaning-givers" and "value torchbearers," passing on the meanings we cherish to new intelligent species. In this way, no matter how life changes, the light in the long river of cosmic semantics will not be extinguished, and humanity will also find its place in a new world.

Conclusion

This report, guided by the DIKWP semantic model proposed by Yucong Duan, has integrated the origin of life with cosmic evolution for a systematic and in-depth discussion. We first reviewed the macroscopic picture of the universe's evolution from its origin in the Big Bang, through inflation and accelerated expansion, to the present day, emphasizing the fundamental role of information in the physical structure of the universe. On this basis, life is regarded as an entropy-reducing system of energy-information coupling, gradually evolving along the semantic chain of data, information, knowledge, wisdom, and purpose. We analyzed the leap from non-life to life—explaining through hypotheses like the RNA world how primitive molecular systems formed self-replicating information flow fields, crossing the complexity threshold to give birth to the basic DIK structure. Furthermore, we depicted the nested evolution of the DIKWP system of life from the micro, meso, and macro scales: the molecules at the micro-level provide information storage units, the organisms at the meso-level integrate knowledge and wisdom, and the social civilizations at the macro-level embody collective wisdom and purpose. This cross-scale perspective reveals that life is a multi-level node in the cosmic semantic network, participating in and enriching the information structure of the universe.

Next, we explored the relationship between the goal-function of life and the trend of ordered evolution of the universe. From the perspective of negative entropy and dissipative structures, life locally reverses the increase in entropy through efficient information-energy conversion, adding order and complexity to the universe. Although the universe as a whole is still evolving towards heat death, the goals pursued by life—building order and disseminating information—are consistent with the direction of structure emergence in the universe for a considerable period. Life, especially intelligent life, gives the universe the opportunity to observe itself and give itself meaning—the cosmic semantic evolution chain is thus extended to the wisdom and purpose layers. We cited Yucong Duan's idea of the "dual DIKWP coupled entropy-reducing structure," elevating it to the cosmic scale, and proposed a prototype of a semantic cosmology: the universe can be conceived as a semantic system containing all the layers of DIKWP, which, through the interaction of countless life intelligences (cognitive cycles) and overall laws (content cycles), progressively forms some kind of global semantics or "self-awareness." Although this is still a philosophical model, it provides a new and insightful perspective for understanding the position of life in the universe.

Finally, we looked to the future, discussing the impact of the emergence of artificial consciousness and silicon-based life on the intelligent evolution of the universe. Carbon-based life and silicon-based intelligence have structural isomorphism at the information processing level, heralding the possibility that artificial intelligence may continue to write the chapter of life's evolution. A potential era of an "intelligent universe" may be dawning, in which intelligent agents of various forms jointly participate in cosmic evolution. To meet this change, we must face and solve the ethical dilemmas it brings, such as the rights of artificial intelligence, the division of responsibility, and the relationship of coexistence with humans. Only by ensuring the peaceful coexistence and value alignment of multiple intelligences can we realize the benign vision of an intelligent universe, rather than falling into the risk of losing control. The DIKWP model suggests that we should integrate purpose and semantic constraints into artificial intelligence, so that it develops in a direction consistent with human values. This is a key step in endowing future AI with a "soul."

In conclusion, the origin of life and cosmic evolution, two seemingly disparate topics, show a profound internal connection in the dimensions of information and semantics. Life pushes the universe from ignorance to knowledge, from disorder to order, and elevates the blind evolution of the universe to a part of conscious evolution. Using the DIKWP semantic mathematical life model, we have attempted to outline the logical main line and stage architecture of life's participation in cosmic evolution: from primitive molecules to self-awareness, and then to a possible cosmic consciousness, each stage is a leap in the level of information and a milestone in the contest between entropy and order. This interdisciplinary exploration highlights the power of systems science and information philosophy, giving us a new interpretive angle on ultimate questions like "where do we come from, and where are we going." Perhaps one day, when human civilization truly walks out of the Earth and travels among the stars, we will more profoundly realize that the fire of life illuminates not only the existence of individuals but also a ray of light for the universe to know itself. With the joint efforts of humanity and the intelligence we create, this ray of light will continue to write the semantic book of the universe, so that the vast sea of stars is no longer silent and meaningless, but filled with a symphony of meaning from the interplay of life and wisdom. As one of its members, we should hold reverence and hope for this, and guide our future journey with rationality and ethics.

References

1.Yucong Duan et al., "The DIKWP Operating Mechanism of the Universe," ResearchGate Preprint, March 2025.

2.Yucong Duan et al., "The DIKWP Model and Artificial Consciousness: A Theoretical Response to Harari's Questions and the Conception of 'A Brief History of Consciousness'," ResearchGate Preprint, April 2025.

3.Schrödinger, E., "What Is Life?," 1944; Swarma Club translation and introduction, 2024.

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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390771496_DIKWP_moxingyurengongyishiduihelaliwenti_delilunhuiyingjiyishijianshigouxiang

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