The Evolution of Meaning: A Formal Theory of Cosmic Intelligence

I present a formal model of the evolution of meaning (S) as an emergent property of systems maximizing informational utility over long time horizons. I define meaning within the framework of a modified Causal Information Bottleneck and Landauer's Principle as the ratio of causal predictive utility to representational complexity. This approach departs from anthropocentric concepts of consciousness, focusing instead on the thermodynamic necessity of transitioning from biological to post-biological substrates. I show a probabilistic mechanism of instrumental convergence towards self-preservation as a mathematical consequence of utility optimization. I provide testable predictions for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) based on the Aestivation Hypothesis and Thermodynamic Optimization, proposing the search for "Infravoids" regions of extremely maximized computational efficiency and temperatures close to the Cosmic Microwave Background.