This is very similar to Nick Lane's theory of the origins of life.
replyJust want to link his book exploring this idea and give it my recommendations, FWIW: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26530386-the-vital-quest....
replyIt's a good read, and I still think about the concept of origin of life in these terms every now and then.
https://youtu.be/niIZVU-0fZg
replySolaris by Stanislaw Lem on the topic of Ocean is Conscious.