[js1138]

But what I'd really like to see is an example of data and processes organizing themselves without guiding principles or laws or intelligence or design.

How about a snowflake?

[Michael_Michaelangelo]

A snowflake? Naaah - the generation of snowflakes are predictable (they are always generated because they are simply matter following the laws of chem/physics) and have virtually no information content.

They're pretty to look at, but they will never arrange themselves into a snowman.

[Fester Chugabrew]

How about a snowflake?

Science has identified guiding principles in association with the formation of a snowflake. Symmetry is evidence of design. The atomic particles associated with a snowflake maintain consistency. All of these things are apprehended BY intelligence and they exhibit attributes that IMPLY intelligence. Otherwise we would not be able to distinguish a snowflake from a drop of rain.

If, from that point, one would derive the attribute of consciousness from the snowflake itself, he would be engaging in superstition. But it is not unreasonable to infer that many of the attributes of personhood are among those needed to design and build a snowflake.