In brain science there is a difference between awareness (having a pattern of recognition or understanding) and attention (focusing on something) when we talk about consciousness. In humans consciousness is rather the attention (one of the theories).

Intelligence, in my point of view, is the ability to calculate and prognoze consequences. 

In your case both of human-related concepts are not applicable - the behavior of microorganisms is rather a reflex, which is uncoscious. It is neither the intelligence, nor the consciousness. Some billions of years of evolution might make the reflex process to become a conscious or intelligent process. But now you should concentrate on alternative explanations.

Thank you Yevgen, but do you feel that we need to really wait for millions of years for microorganisms to become conscious when they are the ones that were first to experience the world ? To be conscious is to be aware which is the most simplest definition of consciousness and in my opinion just reflex cannot make the microorganism decide. Have you ever seen the behaviour of a paramecium which is much a advanced form of microorganism; this organism is fully aware of its surrounding, an intruder in its presence can change its behaviour and it will consciously make this change but can you call this intelligence?

Yevgen, I completely agree with Contzen.

Intelligence in a way is just a survival trait, adopted to embrace the most optimal way of living. Being conscious is completely different from being intelligent.

Only when you get in the concept of subjectivity, intelligence pops up. If there is no one experiencing it then there is nothing like intelligence. Only a subject can be intelligent. To be intelligent, one should be conscious, not vice versa. Conscious awareness looks more fundamental than intelligence. Being conscious or aware of the certain situation is very different from how one reacts to that situation. In the latter case, one adopts various ways to come up with most optimal living seeking intelligence.

Yevgen, if the behavior of microorganisms is just the reflex outcome (unconscious), which is neither the intelligence nor the consciousness, then what about various sensors we developed with the present technology, are they same as microbes? How will you differentiate robots built from artificial intelligence and sensors to various biological and living organisms? 

Of course for the first time ever, scientists are trying to simulate the living organism (C. Elegans; earthworm) as a whole. They are interested in knowing what it takes to simulate the conscious behaviour and mimic the exact responses of this organism.

http://www.openworm.org/index.html

Shashi, your right about the subjectivity aspect of consciousness and this applies to all AI research where the mechanism of consciousness is easy to explain but the experience remains phenomenal. The archae are bacteria which can organize and reorganize in extreme environments just like the thermophiles, this definitely cannot be a reflex action as these organisms have learned to perceive the environment or rather they are aware of the environment which gives them the ability to adapt. If these organisms were not conscious they would never be found in such environments for they would have eliminated as part of the evolutionary process as unsuccessful species.

Contzen, as you know, this is the case with all extremophiles in general. If we study living systems specific to certain environments, we will end up having questions like,

• Do living systems adapt to the ambient environment? or
• Does the environment decide what type of living systems to host?

The order of occurrence of these two questions is very tricky to answer. Former explains adaptation as a survival trait that which is external and secondary. But the later explains adaptation as a primary intrinsic means, and that the origin of certain living systems in itself depends on the ambient surroundings. 

Behaviour when considered instinctive somehow seems to be a result of non intelligent or rather unconscious habituations becomes restrictive by heredity and improves via natural selection which in the opinion of the other may seem as an intelligent behavioural adaptation. In my opinion instinct can be characterized by consciousness of the stimulus to act without actual perceiving the knowledge to adapt or rather a reflex may be considered as a stimulus to act which depends on consciousness. Stimulus to act can therefore be considered reflex, intuition, instinct, etc demonstrated as a behaviour by an organism but driven by consciousness.

Everything arises from consciousness including the brain and its functions. Intelligence evolves with the help of consciousness. Reflex is also a product of consciousness. If there is no consciousness, there is nothing, for all awareness is lost and the intelligence becomes null and void. Have you seen the amoeboid colony of Physarum  polycephalum behave ? This microorganism definitely demonstrates behavioural capabilities that are outstanding, this surely cannot be reflex or adaptation....they are intelligent, because they are conscious of their surrounding....but sadly they don't have a brain so not accepted by neuroscience. Neuroscience is limited to the brain and  needs to think and  collaborate beyond the brain to better understand consciousness from a broader perspective.

I too believe that the actual paradigm -however useful it has been- is still way too braincentric.

Dear Sir

I think there are behaviors rely on instinct and not just intelligence.

regards

Raid