Based on the Taiji Evolution Cosmology [1], this paper proposes a proposition about the nature of time: time is not an independently flowing background, but the "rate of processes" — the time flow of a universe equals the combined rhythm of all physical processes within it — and the rates of all processes are determined by the laws of quantum mechanics. This establishes a mechanism chain: weave (the quantum-level structure that determines the laws of physics) → quantum spectrum (energy levels, transition frequencies, entanglement structure) → the rates of all quantum processes → the time flow of that universe. Accordingly: (1) time rate is a question at the quantum-mechanical level, not an independent background property; (2) differences in time flow between universes (e.g., the classical record "a moment in the other world, a hundred years in the human world") originate from differences in quantum spectra caused by differences in weave; (3) the time dilation of general relativity and the weave-induced time difference are of the same origin — both are rate differences caused by differences in quantum structure (spacetime = entangled network, ENUM[5]); (4) time rate is adjustable (when local weave is controllable), but does not violate the one-way direction of time (Theorem 1[2]) — what is adjustable is the rate, what is irreversible is the direction.
Based on the Taiji Evolution Cosmology [1], this paper proposes a proposition about the nature of time: time is not an independently flowing background, but the "rate of processes" — the time flow of a universe equals the combined rhythm of all physical processes within it — and the rates of all processes are determined by the laws of quantum mechanics. This establishes a mechanism chain: weave (the quantum-level structure that determines the laws of physics) → quantum spectrum (energy levels, transition frequencies, entanglement structure) → the rates of all quantum processes → the time flow of that universe. Accordingly: (1) time rate is a question at the quantum-mechanical level, not an independent background property; (2) differences in time flow between universes (e.g., the classical record "a moment in the other world, a hundred years in the human world") originate from differences in quantum spectra caused by differences in weave; (3) the time dilation of general relativity and the weave-induced time difference are of the same origin — both are rate differences caused by differences in quantum structure (spacetime = entangled network, ENUM[5]); (4) time rate is adjustable (when local weave is controllable), but does not violate the one-way direction of time (Theorem 1[2]) — what is adjustable is the rate, what is irreversible is the direction.
The problem of the origin of time, i.e., ”how time emerges from the foundationof quantum gravity,” is a central challenge in modern physics. This paper proposesa background-independent and computable emergence mechanism: time is not ana priori coordinate but rather a chain of partially ordered slices spontaneouslyorganized by quantum geometric states under the action of discrete renormalizationgroup flow. We construct a joint categorical framework that unifies the entanglement renormalization of spin networks and the geometric evolution of discrete Ricciflowas afunctorial evolution sequence. It is theoretically proven that when the jointevolution follows macroscopic monotonicity of entanglement entropy, this sequencenaturally generates a causal chain with a natural partial order. The macroscopic”time measure” is given by a topological invariant—the H0 barcode length in persistent homology—and its ”arrow of time” is locked by the irreversible growth ofentanglement entropy, without requiring additional thermodynamic or boundarycondition assumptions. We conduct large-scale numerical experiments on a 323periodic lattice, verifying the core theoretical prediction: the barcode lifetime Land the system’s low-energy spectral gap ∆ exhibit a universal inverse relationship, satisfying ∆ · L = 0.144(5), with a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.999.This mechanism directly leads to two observable cosmological predictions: 1) A”barcode modulation” in the low-ℓ power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation, with characteristic scale ∆ℓ ≈ 3 and amplitude A ≈ 0.05; 2) Aprimordial stochastic gravitational wave background with peak frequency in the10−9–10−8 Hz range. These predictions can be tested by next-generation observational experiments such as CMB-S4 and SKA-PTA, thereby transforming the”origin of time” from a philosophical speculation into a computable, simulatable,and falsifiable physical problem.
We propose a phenomenological framework in which the homogeneous external time parameter t of quantum mechanics and the invariant speed of light c of relativity share a common origin rooted in the internal architecture of an observer. The observer is characterised by two intrinsic scales: an internal clock period \tau_0 and a spatial resolution \lambda_0. The internal unitary evolution of the observer defines a homogeneous proper time \tau, which serves as the absolute background time for quantum dynamics. When the observer projects this internal rhythm outward to organise external events, the ratio \lambda_0/\tau_0 emerges as a universal maximum signalling speed, identified with the speed of light c. In the presence of gravity or cosmic expansion, the observer's internal clock rate couples to the local geometry via the time‑time component of the metric g_{00}, causing both the observed coordinate time dilation and the coordinate speed of light to vary synchronously. This framework offers a unified conceptual origin for the otherwise disparate roles of time in quantum theory and relativity, and provides a natural resolution to the Hubble tension without invoking new dark‑energy components.
Quantum mechanics and general relativity have been very successful in their respective domains for understanding and predicting physical phenomena. The two theories differ in their perspectives on time, with relativistic time flowing at different rates for different observers but time in a quantum system flowing in a fixed spacetime. Experiments on the nature of time to probe this difference have shown there is a flow of time in a quantum system that is not detectable by a classical clock outside the quantum system. Accordingly, we generalize the concept of time to include the flow of time in both classical and quantum systems, and investigate whether the concept of “generalized time” has any explanatory or predictive value. We find that generalized time provides an explanation for quantum entanglement that is causal without violating the speed of light, provides insight regarding collapse of the wave function in a quantum system, provides a simple intuitive perspective to understand time dilation and length contraction in special relativity, resolves the black hole information paradox, and enables a physical model that explains cosmic inflation. CPT symmetry coupled with generalized time explains why time goes backwards for antiparticles in Feynman diagrams and why there is more matter than antimatter in the Universe, leads to a model of the Big Bang that explains some observed anisotropies in the Universe, and potentially explains CP violations observed in kaons and other particles. Models based on generalized time make testable predictions for laboratory and cosmological measurements.
In general, a physical theory is based on some fundamental principles concerning space, time, matter, and the laws prescribing how matter is distributed in space and how it evolves in time, and even how spacetime itself changes in response to the changes of matter. The spectrum of the known theories is very diverse, since they are based on different assumptions. Some theories assume that space and time are totally independent, some that they are warped in a continuum named "spacetime", and some even that there are more dimensions than the usual 3+1. Most theories consider that space and time are continuous, but many recent theories consider them to be discrete. Most dynamical laws of fundamental Physics are deterministic, but apparently Quantum Mechanics shows that they may have an indeterministic component. Despite these distinctions between various theories, our intuition and experience tells us that they have a lot in common. In this paper I will try to capture the common features in a single mathematical structure. This is not a Theory of Everything, but only a mathematical structure which is common to most physical theories known so far. We will see that these theories can be obtained as particular cases of this structure, which I will call "world". In particular, the worlds described by the Classical Mechanics, the Theory of Relativity and the Quantum Mechanics are examples of worlds according to this definition, but also some theories attempting to unify gravity and QM, like String Theory. The purpose of this distillation is to provide a mathematical common background to both physical and metaphysical discussions about the various theories of the World.
This study proposes a conceptual framework in which time and space are derived from quantum state transitions rather than being treated as fundamental background entities. Temporal progression is interpreted as the ordered sequence of discrete quantum state changes, while spatial structure emerges from relational properties among quantum states.Within this framework, time is defined operationally as the measurable rate of quantum state evolution, and space arises from correlations and structural relations between quantum systems. The approach suggests that spacetime may be understood as an emergent construct grounded in quantum dynamics rather than as a primary ontological structure.The implications of this interpretation are discussed in relation to general relativity and quantum mechanics, with attention to cosmological considerations and foundational questions in theoretical physics.
This framework preserves the empirical success of existing physical theories while proposing an alternative set of foundational assumptions from which their standard formulations emerge as effective limits. Abstract — Key Innovative Points Discrete Updating FabricThe theory postulates a fundamental discrete fabric whose elementary constituents evolve through local update processes, replacing continuous fields and background spacetime as primary entities. Irreversible Local Dynamics as FundamentalUnlike standard approaches based on unitary or reversible evolution, irreversibility is taken as ontological. Physical law emerges from irreversible local updates rather than from imposed symmetries or variational principles. Emergent Time and SpacetimeTime is not assumed as a fundamental parameter but arises from the counting of update events. Spacetime geometry emerges as a coarse-grained description of update activity across the fabric. Quantum Probability from Microstate CountingQuantum probabilities, including the Born rule, emerge from combinatorial counting of compatible microstates of the fabric, rather than being postulated axiomatically. Gravity as Update-Rate ModulationGravitational phenomena are interpreted as variations in local update rates, leading to effective curvature, time dilation, and relativistic behavior at macroscopic scales. Mass as Resistance to UpdateMass and inertia arise from stable topological structures within the fabric that resist updates, providing a dynamical origin of mass without introducing fundamental mass parameters. Fundamental Dissipation and IrreversibilityDissipation is intrinsic to the fabric dynamics and not an emergent statistical effect. The arrow of time follows directly from the irreversible nature of local updates. Extension Beyond Fundamental PhysicsThe same discrete framework accounts for macroscopic dissipative phenomena—such as friction, stick–slip dynamics, superlubricity, growth, and self-organization—linking fundamental physics and material behavior within a single process-based model. iversality Without Fundamental SymmetryLarge-scale physical laws emerge as dynamical attractors of the updating fabric, arising through elimination of unstable configurations rather than enforcement of fundamental symmetries. Emergent Rules Beyond the Born Rule in the Unified Fabric Framework The same discrete-fabric + local-update + coarse-graining structure generates multiple quantum rules without postulation. 1. Schrödinger Dynamics as an Emergent Long-Wavelength Limit Local deterministic updates on a discrete fabric admit spectral modes.In the long-wavelength limit, their evolution converges to a Schrödinger-type equation. No quantum dynamics is postulated.Only update rules and spectral structure are assumed. 2. Superposition from Coarse-Grained Microstate Counting Macroscopic amplitudes arise as sums over compatible microstates.Linearity follows from additive contributions at the amplitude level. Superposition is therefore emergent.It reflects coarse-graining, not a fundamental axiom. 3. Interference as Cross-Terms in Microstate Combinatorics Probabilities are quadratic because amplitudes sum before squaring.Cross-terms correspond exactly to interference effects. Interference is not assumed.It is a combinatorial consequence of microstate superposition. 4. Tensor Product Structure and the Origin of Entanglement Composite systems correspond to composite regions of the fabric.Global microstates factorize only if compatibility constraints separate. Entanglement arises when constraints couple subsystems.It is structural, not mysterious. 5. Decoherence from Phase Inaccessibility Observers access only coarse-grained variables.Rapidly varying microstate phases average out. Off-diagonal terms are dynamically suppressed.Decoherence emerges without postulation. 6. Measurement Collapse as Constraint Reduction Measurement is an interaction that reduces compatible microstates.The effective state updates accordingly. Collapse is not a new law.It is constraint updating under coarse-graining. 7. The Arrow of Time from Asymmetric State Counting Entropy is defined as the logarithm of compatible microstates.Local updates generically move toward larger compatible sets. Irreversibility is structural.It does not rely on subjective ignorance. 8. Coulomb Friction from Discrete Event Statistics Friction equals dissipated update energy per unit distance.The Coulomb law emerges from counting active interfacial events. The friction coefficient is not fundamental.It decomposes into microscopic event parameters. 9. Superlubricity as the Event-Free Limit Superlubricity occurs when locking events are suppressed.Dissipation is rare, not forbidden. This is a limit regime, not an exception.It confirms friction as emergent. 11. Conservation Laws from Update Invariance If the update rule is invariant under local transformations,conserved quantities emerge automatically. Noether’s theorem becomes emergent.Symmetry is a property of the update, not an axiom. 12. Classical Determinism from Phase Averaging At large scales, phase information becomes inaccessible.Only expectation values survive. Classical trajectories emerge statistically.Determinism is an effective limit. 13. Locality from Finite Update Propagation Updates propagate only through neighboring fabric nodes.Information speed is bounded. Causality is structural.Nonlocality is only apparent at coarse scales. 14. Emergent Speed Limit (c) The maximum update rate defines a universal speed.No signal can exceed it. The speed of light is not fundamental.It is a fabric update bound. 15. Metric Geometry from Update Delays Spatial curvature corresponds to spatially varying update rates.Time dilation is an update slowdown. Geometry is dynamical.The metric is emergent. 16. Gravity from Update Resistance Mass corresponds to structures resisting updates.Nearby updates slow down in response. Gravitational attraction emerges.No force field is postulated. 17. Equivalence Principle as a Structural Identity All stable update-resisting structures slow updates identically.Their response is universal. Inertial and gravitational mass coincide.Equivalence is automatic. 18. Quantization from Discrete Spectrum A finite update lattice admits discrete eigenmodes.Energy levels are quantized. Quantization is not imposed.Continuum is an approximation. 19. Noise Spectra (1/f) from Avalanche Dynamics Update cascades produce scale-free event statistics.Long-range correlations appear. 1/f noise is generic.It signals discrete underlying dynamics. 20. Criticality without Tuning The fabric naturally operates near instability thresholds.Small perturbations trigger cascades. Self-organized criticality emerges.No parameter tuning is required. 21. Thermodynamic Laws as Counting Theorems Temperature measures update activity density.Heat is disordered update flow. Thermodynamics is not independent.It is bookkeeping of updates. 22. Growth and Morphogenesis from Update Bias Directional update biases produce structured growth.Forms emerge without templates. Morphogenesis is dynamical.Shape follows update flow. 23. Fine-structure value and other unknow meaning The fine-structure value (~137) corresponds to the effective degeneracyof coherently contributing update configurations in an elementary coupling process.Proton–electron mass ratio the number of internal update cycles required to stabilize a topological vortex (proton), and a simple oscillatory update mode (electron). Mass measures cumulative resistance to updates. Lepton mass hierarchy Different stability thresholds of the same update pattern. Each mass corresponds to a different coherence regime.→ Families are metastable realizations of one structure. Reduced Planck constant Energy × time associated with one elementary update event. → ħ is the discrete unit of updating. Speed of light Maximum update propagation speed across the fabric. → c is the causal limit of the fabric. Bekenstein–Hawking entropy Number of blocked or saturated update configurations at the horizon. → An event horizon is an informational saturation boundary. Universal critical exponents They arise from the topology of update avalanches,independent of microscopic details. → Criticality is a natural fabric regime. Explanations Rarely Given in Existing Theories 1. Why probabilities are quadratic and not cubic or linear Most theories postulate P=∣ψ∣2P=|\psi|^2P=∣ψ∣2.Here it follows from coherent counting plus phase cancellation. The square is not a choice.It is the minimal stable coarse-graining. 2. Why quantum phases are physically unobservable but indispensable Phases affect interference but not outcomes directly.They label micro-configurations, not macrostates. Phase is structural memory.Measurement erases access to it. 3. Why constants are dimensionless and few Only ratios of update counts survive coarse-graining.Dimensional parameters wash out. Dimensionless constants are structural.They encode geometry, not dynamics. 4. Why “free parameters” cluster around simple numbers Many constants are order-one ratios or small inverses.They reflect combinatorial suppression. Fine tuning is apparent.It is state counting in disguise. 5. Why quantum randomness is stable and reproducible Randomness is not noise.It is deterministic micro-dynamics seen through coarse-graining. Statistics are invariant.Details are inaccessible. 6. Why identical particles are truly identical Microstates differ, macrostates do not.Labels are erased by update symmetry. Indistinguishability is enforced.It is not a postulate. 7. Why spin is quantized and half-integer values exist Spin counts topological winding in update cycles.Only discrete windings are stable. Half-integer spin reflects double-cover topology.No mystery remains. 8. Why gauge free