This article presents a novel foundational framework for physics, grounded in a minimalist vectorial ontology. I propose that the unified fabric of reality is described by a fundamental abstract state space F, whose elements are normed vectors Ψ. From this single premise, a complete axiomatization of space-time and quantum phenomena is derived. The core innovation is the definition of space and time not as independent continua, but as complementary projections of the state vector: Ψ = (S, T). A set of nine axioms is introduced, imposing constraints on these components: their magnitudes are equal (|S| = c|T|), their directions are antiparallel (S = -T), and their evolution is a norm-preserving unitary redistribution. From these purely algebraic and geometric relations, I demonstrate the emergence of Minkowskian space-time with its Lorentzian metric, the invariant speed of light c, and a causal structure defined by the connectivity of F. The framework naturally incorporates quantum mechanics by identifying unitary evolution on F as the fundamental dynamical principle, with measurement and classicality arising via environmental decoherence and the dynamical selection of pointer states (Axiom IX). This work offers a path toward resolving the quantum gravity problem by suggesting that both geometry and quantum states are manifestations of a deeper vectorial substrate, thereby unifying relativity and quantum theory within a single, observer-independent mathematical structure.
This article presents a novel foundational framework for physics, grounded in a minimalist vectorial ontology. I propose that the unified fabric of reality is described by a fundamental abstract state space F, whose elements are normed vectors Ψ. From this single premise, a complete axiomatization of space-time and quantum phenomena is derived. The core innovation is the definition of space and time not as independent continua, but as complementary projections of the state vector: Ψ = (S, T). A set of nine axioms is introduced, imposing constraints on these components: their magnitudes are equal (|S| = c|T|), their directions are antiparallel (S = -T), and their evolution is a norm-preserving unitary redistribution. From these purely algebraic and geometric relations, I demonstrate the emergence of Minkowskian space-time with its Lorentzian metric, the invariant speed of light c, and a causal structure defined by the connectivity of F. The framework naturally incorporates quantum mechanics by identifying unitary evolution on F as the fundamental dynamical principle, with measurement and classicality arising via environmental decoherence and the dynamical selection of pointer states (Axiom IX). This work offers a path toward resolving the quantum gravity problem by suggesting that both geometry and quantum states are manifestations of a deeper vectorial substrate, thereby unifying relativity and quantum theory within a single, observer-independent mathematical structure.
This paper presents the complete axiomatic foundation of the Ze Vector Theory (ZVT), a unified framework for fundamental physics. ZVT posits a single ontological primitive—the Ze State—which inherently admits both a continuous (vector) and a discrete (counter) representation. From this basis, the theory derives space and time as antiparallel, co-equal projections of the State, rather than assuming them as a background manifold. Physical dynamics are defined as the norm-preserving redistribution of the State's measure, from which causality and quantum phenomena emerge naturally. Quantum discreteness is shown to be a consequence of the discrete substrate, while interference patterns arise from the superposition of statistical pathways for state transitions, eliminating the need for a physical collapse postulate. The theory intrinsically defines an observer as an autonomous subsystem capable of stable registration. Crucially, ZVT demonstrates that Special Relativity, General Relativity, standard Quantum Theory, and Causal Set Theory arise as specific limiting regimes of its general formalism. By deriving, rather than postulating, the core concepts of modern physics and seamlessly integrating the continuous and discrete, ZVT offers a coherent, monistic, and relational foundation for a unified description of reality.
General relativity and quantum mechanics rely on fundamentally incompatible conceptions of spacetime: the former treats spacetime as a smooth, dynamical entity, while the latter presupposes a fixed background on which quantum states evolve. This work introduces the Collapse Spacetime Model (CSM), a foundational framework in which spacetime itself is not fundamental but emerges from discrete ontological transition events (OTEs)—objective, irreversible acts of actualization that generate localized spacetime structure. Within CSM, quantum state reduction is reinterpreted as one particular manifestation of a more general ontological transition, rather than as an anomaly within unitary dynamics. A central refinement, the Multiplicity of Spacetime Hypothesis (MSH), proposes that physical systems construct their own partial spacetimes, with the classical spacetime continuum arising from stable intersections among these locally generated structures. Constants such as the speed of light are interpreted as invariant structural ratios of spacetime co-generation, rather than as fundamental properties of matter or signals. The model aligns conceptually with causal set theory, emergent network geometry, and collapse-based approaches, while offering a unified ontological account of spacetime emergence, time’s passage, and the relational origin of geometry. CSM reframes physical reality as a becoming universe, providing a coherent foundation for quantum gravity, cosmology, and the philosophy of time, while deliberately postponing detailed dynamical and mathematical formalization to future work.
The geometric-differential paradigm of spacetime, while foundational to modern physics, faces intrinsic challenges in quantum gravity and provides a limited framework for understanding state evolution as a computational process. This article proposes a shift in ontological foundations, presenting Ze, a discrete computational framework that implements the dynamics of a fundamental state vector Ψ. We argue that Ze is not merely an algorithm but a model of physical becoming, where space and time are not pre-existing coordinates but emerge as anti-parallel channels for the redistribution of information flow. Within Ze, the state vector is represented by a global configuration of statistical counters, and its evolution is driven by a process of passive learning through the minimization of prediction error. The framework naturally maps key physical entities: the temporal component corresponds to the sequential, irreversible flow of events and counter growth, while the spatial component corresponds to the synchronous, correlational structure of the internal model. This anti-parallelism is formalized in a discrete Ze-Lagrangian, a variational principle balancing structural stabilization against predictive error. We demonstrate how this setup allows for the emergence of relativistic invariants, a statistical and vector-based causality akin to causal sets, and quantum phenomena such as quantization (from discrete accounting) and interference (from superposition of predictive contexts). The theory reframes the observer as a self-norm-preserving system and suggests that Special and General Relativity are limiting descriptions of stable regimes in the Ze dynamics. The work offers a unified, vector-based ontology that derives physics from first principles of information processing.
Modern theoretical physics rests on two highly successful but conceptually distinct frameworks: quantum mechanics and general relativity. While both theories are experimentally confirmed to high precision within their respective domains, they rely on fundamentally different starting points. General relativity takes spacetime as a primitive geometric structure, whereas quantum mechanics is formulated in terms of abstract state spaces without intrinsic spacetime meaning. Most approaches to quantum gravity attempt to reconcile this tension by modifying, quantizing, or discretizing spacetime itself. Even in approaches where spacetime is said to be “emergent,” it typically remains the primary conceptual backdrop on which physical processes are defined. Despite extensive efforts, there is no consensus on whether spacetime should be regarded as fundamental or derivative. In this work, a more radical starting point is explored. Rather than modifying spacetime or its geometry, we ask whether spacetime can be excluded entirely from the fundamental layer of the theory and recovered only at a later, operational stage. The central question is not how spacetime behaves, but whether the notion of “what lies between physical objects” must be spatial or temporal at the most fundamental level. We propose a framework—referred to here as Super Relativity (SR)—based on a single pre-geometric postulate: the existence of a monotonically expanding set of possible quantum configurations, referred to as the flux. Formally, this flux is represented as a monotone, σ-finite family of capacity measures on a common configuration space (introduced in Section 2). This postulate deliberately refrains from assuming spacetime, time ordering, metric structure, causality, or dynamics. Within this pre-geometric core, two derived, dimensionless notions are introduced: utilization, describing the realization of configurations, and saturation, defined as the ratio between utilized and available configurations. A central structural element of SR is the strict separation between a core layer and an interface layer. In the core layer, all quantities are pre-geometric and dimensionless, and no reference is made to space, time, motion, energy, or interaction. Only at the interface layer are operational notions introduced, including clocks, rulers, and signal propagation. Spacetime, in this construction, is not a dynamical entity but an effective bookkeeping structure that encodes relative rates of change once a calibration to physical units is performed. Within this framework, gravitational phenomena do not originate from spacetime curvature taken as fundamental. Instead, they arise from variations in saturation that, at the interface level, manifest as uniform rescalings of physical processes. When expressed in geometric language, these rescalings reproduce the standard predictions of general relativity, including gravitational time dilation and the equivalence between gravitation and acceleration. The invariant local speed of light is not postulated but follows as a derived consequence, since both clock rates and signal propagation are affected identically by the same underlying saturation mechanism. The aim of this paper is not to introduce new empirical predictions beyond those of general relativity, nor to present a complete theory of quantum gravity. Rather, the objective is foundational: to demonstrate that the mathematical structure of general relativity can be reconstructed from a single pre-geometric postulate without assuming spacetime as part of the fundamental ontology. In this sense, SR should be understood as a reconstruction and reinterpretation of known physics, rather than as a competing dynamical theory. An extended and fully explicit formulation of the framework, including all intermediate steps, is available in a companion preprint (version V12) deposited on Zenodo. The present paper restricts itself to the minimal conceptual and mathematical structure required to establish logical consistency and to demonstrate the emergence of general-relativistic behavior at the interface level.
We present a unified framework in which classical spacetime, locality, and the familiar spatial structure of physics emerge from purely quantum-mechanical principles. Starting from a single Hilbert space H_total with unitary evolution, we impose only two information-theoretic constraints: no-signaling (locality of dynamical unitaries) and no-forgetting (global unitarity). From these axioms, we derive two complementary selection principles that together determine the structure of physical reality: Dynamical Simplicity: This principle identifies the tensor factorization of Hilbert space that minimizes the locality cost of the Hamiltonian. We prove existence and generic uniqueness of this optimal factorization and show it corresponds to a basis of collective modes we term harmonions—emergent quasiparticle degrees of freedom that decouple the dynamics. Observational Stability: This principle identifies the pointer basis that survives environmental decoherence. We demonstrate that this is generically the spatial basis—local in the interaction graph but dynamically complex. Numerical experiments confirm that these two principles select different bases: the harmonion basis minimizes Hamiltonian complexity but suffers catastrophic decoherence (97% information loss), while the spatial basis is dynamically expensive but robust (3% information loss). Physical reality emerges as the compromise: a structure sufficiently simple to have tractable dynamics and sufficiently redundant to survive observation. We conclude that space is not fundamental—it is the fixed point where dynamical simplicity and observational stability meet. The harmonion is the substrate's natural language; space is what happens when the substrate observes itself.
The incompatibility between quantum mechanics and relativity is not a lack of technical details, but a fundamental one—they are each built on distinct local invariants: quantum mechanics relies on gauge invariance, while relativity is based on Lorentz invariance. Starting from different mountain feet, they naturally cannot converge at the summit. What physicists are truly seeking is a global, absolute, and simple invariant—one that can govern all physical phenomena and serve as the common source of all physical laws. This paper proposes the Axiom of Cosmic Uniqueness: all events, physical states, particle configurations, and interaction relationships in the universe are strictly unique, and there are no two identical forms of existence. From the perspective of group theory, this axiom is the ultimate invariant that physicists have long pursued—because the attribute of "everything is unique" remains unchanged regardless of any transformation applied (temporal evolution, spatial translation, rotation, gauge transformation, etc.). Based on this single axiom, this paper argues that: · The essence of time is the sequential unfolding of unique states, and the unidirectionality of the arrow of time is a direct inference of uniqueness; · The essence of space is the topological structure of causal correlations between unique events; · Causality possesses absolute necessity, and the "randomness" in quantum mechanics is a cognitive limitation rather than physical reality; · Probability has no physical reality and is purely an instrumental approximation under cognitive limitations—because the definition of probability relies on "repeatable experiments", a premise negated by the Axiom of Cosmic Uniqueness; · The paradox of the origin of life is thus resolved: the origin of life has already occurred, and no probabilistic explanation is needed under the Axiom of Cosmic Uniqueness—the so-called "extremely low probability" is a pseudo-problem arising from the misapplication of the concept of probability to unique historical events. This axiom requires no presupposition of any physical laws, particle properties, or spacetime frameworks, and achieves self-consistency solely through ontological logic. It is a more fundamental global invariant than Lorentz invariance and gauge invariance, and can govern the core laws of classical physics, quantum mechanics, relativity, and cosmic evolution—for all of them are branches growing from this common source.