"On Intelligence" is the title of a book by Jeff Hawkins.  Go right over to Amazon and get this book. 

Hawkins demystifies intelligence.  He takes apart the neocortex (schematically, at any rate), and shows us that making pattern analogies is what we do when we think at higher levels.  Any theory of intelligence that could be applied to machines has to take into account the extensive feedback provided by the operation of the many levels of the neocortex and the particular physical architecture of the brain.  Plus time.

We store sequences, associate them, and test our experiences constantly against these ideals.  When patterns change, we notice.  It's all practice.  When we're steeped in a subject or a world, we can do more and more of this at lower levels, without having to run things all the way up the cortical flagpole. 

So, for example, if you're talking to a first-rate First Amendment lawyer, he's made so many associations across so many years that he can instantly see patterns in facts that you wouldn't see.  He can draw analogies with the greatest of ease.  That's his intelligence -- his pattern manipulation -- working.

Hawkins reminds us that intelligence (like the ability to play an instrument) isn't magical.  It takes practice. 

at p. 168:  "Experts and geniuses have brains that see structure of structure and patterns of patterns beyond what others do.  You can become expert by practice, but there certainly is a genetic component to talent and genius too."

Hawkins suggests that machines could certainly be built that would allow for feedback, sequence storing, and time -- they might end up with very different "senses" than we humans have, but they'd be intelligent.  The book is a challenge to entrepreneurs and techies to build those machines.

In the meantime, I'm thinking of developing a better mental filing system.  If only office supplies for that were easily obtainable.