Adaptive Coherence Theory: A First-Principles Framework for Life, Evolution, and Intelligence

Adaptive Coherence Theory (ACT) proposes a universal framework for understanding the emergence, evolution, and persistence of structured systems across biological, cognitive, and ecological domains. Unlike traditional evolutionary paradigms, which rely on random mutation and selection, ACT posits that adaptation follows coherence selection—where systems persist if and only if they maintain structural stability across recursive scales. This principle explains the emergence of life as a transition beyond a critical coherence threshold in prebiotic chemistry, the punctuated nature of speciation as coherence bifurcations, and the predictability of convergent evolution as an optimization process constrained by coherence gradients. Intelligence is reframed as recursive coherence tracking rather than statistical computation, while ecosystem stability is governed by multi-scale coherence conservation. ACT introduces a mathematical formalism unifying these processes, demonstrating that evolution is not an arbitrary process but a constrained search for persistent coherence. The theory makes falsifiable predictions, including coherence-driven genomic stability, ecological resilience tracking, and neural coherence dynamics in cognition. ACT resolves key paradoxes in abiogenesis, punctuated equilibrium, and intelligence by establishing coherence as the primary selection force governing adaptation. This model not only refines our understanding of evolutionary biology but also extends to artificial intelligence, social systems, and non-equilibrium thermodynamics, providing a first-principles framework for the evolution of complexity. By replacing stochastic determinism with structured persistence, ACT unifies adaptive processes under a single law of coherence selection, bridging gaps between physics, biology, and cognitive science.