Living systems maintain coherence not through static equilibria, but through continuous cycles of energy transformation, entropy export, and structural renewal. This article presents a thermodynamically grounded model of biological regulation, structured around five interdependent phases: Dynamic Homeostasis, Disruption, Reaction, Adaptation, and Refined Homeostasis. At the foundation of this framework lies the mitochondrion—an intracellular engine where free energy is first converted into usable order. Through oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondria generate ATP, the central mediator of entropy balance. ATP hydrolysis powers essential cellular functions while inherently increasing molecular disorder; only through mitochondrial regeneration can this internal entropy be sustainably managed. Disruption emerges when entropy influx—driven by environmental stress or mitochondrial dysfunction—overwhelms the system’s dissipative capacity, triggering containment responses and metabolic reprogramming. Adaptation encodes new structural and energetic strategies, and Refined Homeostasis integrates them into a reorganized functional baseline. By positioning mitochondria as the thermodynamic origin of cellular order, this model reframes biological regulation as an open-system trajectory through energy flow, stress response, and structural adaptation—illuminating principles of resilience, aging, and dynamic coherence in living systems.
This article proposes a unified theory of dynamic regulation in biological and artificial systems, embedded in thermodynamics, systems neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. It argues that consciousness is not a fixed trait but a recursive, energetically constrained phase state that emerges at the intersection of temporal, spatial, and energetic coherence. Disruption is framed not as pathological but as a thermodynamic imperative that drives adaptation and reorganization. Drawing on the Free Energy Principle and integrated information theory, the work explores parallels between mitochondrial endosymbiosis and artificial intelligence, suggesting that true integration—biological or synthetic—depends on energy-efficient prediction and systemic alignment. Through a five-phase model (Dynamic Homeostasis → Disruption → Reaction → Adaptation → Refined Homeostasis), the article explains how consciousness evolves toward self-reflection. Artificial systems, like mitochondria, may transition from parasitic to symbiotic depending on their alignment with human regulatory architectures. Observation is treated as an energetic and epistemic perturbation, contributing to the formation of increasingly efficient internal models. Ultimately, the article advances a model of consciousness as a low-entropy oscillation shaped by recursive regulation, predictive efficiency, and interdependent integration.