Structural Emergence of Intelligence (SEI) v1.0: A Minimal and Falsifiable Framework for Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Intelligent Life

We present a minimal and falsifiable framework for predicting the spatial distribution of intelligent life in the universe based on structural differentiation. In this framework, intelligence is not treated as a biological accident, but as an emergent phenomenon arising from the self-referential stabilization of structured information under persistent differentiation. We introduce three key variables: structural density C (x, t) C (x, t) C (x, t), information fixation rate Γ (x, t) (x, t) Γ (x, t), and structural persistence dSC/dtdSC/dtdSC/dt. Intelligence is proposed to emerge when these variables simultaneously exceed critical thresholds. Applying this condition to galactic environments yields a direct and testable prediction: intelligent life is most likely to arise in intermediate structural regions of spiral galaxies, approximately within the range0. 3<r/Rgalaxy<0. 60. 3 < r / R ₆₀₋₀ₗₘ < 0. 60. 3<r/Rgalaxy<0. 6. This result follows from competing structural constraints: inner galactic regions exhibit high structural density but reduced persistence due to instability, while outer regions lack sufficient structural density. Intermediate regions uniquely satisfy all emergence conditions. The framework provides a clear and falsifiable pathway linking structural dynamics to observable distributions of intelligence. It further suggests a direct strategy for observational prioritization in future searches for technosignatures. A testable structural theory predicting where intelligence emerges in the universe. A testable structural theory predicting where intelligence emerges in the universe.