Critical Scaling and Metabolic Regulation in a Ginzburg--Landau Theory of Cognitive Dynamics
arXiv Preprint Archive February 22, 2026 Gunn Kim
A new theoretical framework treats biological intelligence as an emergent property of a system far from equilibrium, sustained by continuous energy (metabolic) flow. By modeling neural activity as a field governed by a principle of free energy minimization, the theory derives mathematical expressions for information capacity and the system's sensitivity to perturbations. It predicts a universal mathematical relationship between the system's structural stiffness and its susceptibility, with an exponent consistent with those observed in brain dynamics. The theory describes healthy adult cognition as a stable, critical state maintained by metabolic regulation, while cognitive decline is described as a transition away from this stable state. The framework generates testable predictions for attention, altered states, and brain stimulation.