I'd like to nail down a definition of intelligence before we even tackle a "universal intelligence". > > I suppose I'm angling for a position where everything has an intelligence, but somethings have a much better quality of intelligence, at least by our lights. > > Need a better term than "better quality", but I think you get my drift.-I think I would define intelligence as the ability to have a short series of related or interrelated observations and/or concepts. That removes the instincts of the amoeba, but my poodle and the hat demonstrates a series of observations and conclusions. He shows a degree of intelligence, but not very much consciousness.