Five Adaptive Tasks: A New Map of Mind, A New Measure of Cognition

What If Evolution Was Always About Cognition?
This article introduces the Five Basic Adaptive Tasks—a new model that redefines cognition not as a trait exclusive to humans or brains, but as a universal evolutionary mechanism present across life. From bacteria to mammals, all organisms face recurring challenges: how to secure energy, stay safe, and reproduce. To do so, they must solve adaptive tasks—each tied to a distinct domain of meaning and behavior change.By identifying and tracing these five tasks, we offer a new map of mind and a new measure of cognition: one rooted not in IQ or neural complexity, but in the ability to interpret cues, make decisions, and change behavior strategically. This framework reveals cognition as the architecture behind life’s intelligence—and offers a fresh foundation for understanding psychology, evolution, and the future of AI.