Title: Information Ontology: Existence as a Self-Realizing, Self-Cognizing, and Self-Affirming Loop Grounded in Foundational Paradox
Abstract:
This paper proposes an Information Ontology derived from the Ground State Information Self-Organizing Model (GSISOM), challenging traditional substance or void-based metaphysics. We argue that existence is not a static property but an emergent, dynamic, and fundamentally informational process originating from a paradoxical foundational principle, An(P0=0) . This principle embodies the irreducible tension between absolute informational simplicity (“Non-being”) and infinite generative potential (“Being”). Existence unfolds through a recursive cycle encompassing five core principles of “Self-”: it Self-Realizes into a specific universe (An(U) ) with intrinsic rules and boundaries emerging from An(P0=0)'s potential; it Self-Cognizes as cognitive structures (MCL(U) ) arise, reflecting An(U)'s patterns; it Self-Tools by formalizing cognition into analytical instruments (CL(U) ); it Self-Manifests through diverse patterns of interaction and structure (A(U) ) mediated by cognition and tools, enacting An(P0=0)'s generative dynamic; and ultimately, it Self-Affirms via a feedback loop where its manifestations dynamically sustain and confirm the foundational conditions of its own possibility, thereby affirming the originating paradox. This ontology portrays existence as an intrinsically limited yet endlessly creative informational loop, where paradox is the engine of being, and boundaries are constitutive of reality. We explore the implications for understanding reality, information, knowledge, agency, and the nature of meaning within this self-generating cycle.
Keywords: Information Ontology, GSISOM, An(P0=0), Metaphysics, Emergence, Self-Organization, Foundational Paradox, Process Ontology, Emergentism, Self-Realization, Self-Cognition, Self-Tooling, Self-Manifestation, Self-Affirmation, Intrinsic Limitation, Process Philosophy.
1. Introduction: Beyond Static Foundations
The enduring philosophical quest for the ultimate groundinformation not merely as a descriptor of reality, but potentially as its fundamental constituent. This paper develops such an Information Ontology, rooted in the conceptual framework of the Ground State Information Self-Organizing Model (GSISOM).
GSISOM posits that reality originates not from pre-existing matter or emptiness, but from An(P0=0) , conceived not as an entity, but as a self-contained, paradoxical, generative principle . Its core lies in the inseparable duality and inherent tension between absolute informational simplicity (P0=0) —a state devoid of specific structure, representing pure, undifferentiated potentiality (“Non-being”)—and infinite generative potential (∅_Absolute Potential) —the boundless capacity to bring forth all possible information, structures, and complexities (“Being”). This foundational paradox is not a flaw to be resolved but the very engine of cosmic creativity. Its dynamic expression, conceptualized as An(P0=0) ≠ An(P0=0) , signifies that the origin’s inherent potentiality cannot remain inertly self-identical but must perpetually differentiate and unfold, driving the universe into existence through processes of informational self-organization.
This paper argues that existence, within this framework, is best understood as an emergent, recursive, and self-referential loop . It is characterized by five interconnected principles centered on the notion of “Self-” , shifting the focus from passive being to an active, dynamic conception of existence as a continuous process of self-creation and self-affirmation, operating within intrinsically defined boundaries derived from the originating paradox itself.
2. The Five Principles of “Self-” in Information Ontology
This ontology unfolds through five interdependent principles, tracing the cycle from the absolute origin An(P0=0) to the manifest reality we inhabit and back to the affirmation of its foundational conditions.
2.1 Principle I: Existence Self-Realizes (An(U))
Existence commences as the infinite potential of An(P0=0) spontaneously realizes itself into a specific cosmic instance—our universe, characterized by a unique set of foundational features, An(U) . This self-realization is an endogenous process, not external creation. It involves a pathway selection (ω_U) from infinite possibilities, akin to a fundamental symmetry breaking within the potentiality of An(P0=0). The resulting An(U)—comprising the emergent physical laws, fundamental constants, dimensionality, and the very fabric of spacetime (Physical Space, PS)—constitutes the intrinsic operational framework for all subsequent existence within this universe. Crucially, the observed boundaries and limitations (e.g., the invariant speed of light c as the upper limit for causal propagation, Planck scale thresholds, thermodynamic constraints, finite rates of energy/information flux accessible at given timescales) are not arbitrary impediments but constitutive properties of this specific realization An(U). They arise directly from the interplay between the generative (“Being”) and simplicity/limiting (“Non-being”) aspects of An(P0=0) during the self-realization process. Existence, in its initial determination, is its self-defined framework, inheriting both potential and limitation from its paradoxical source.
2.2 Principle II: Existence Self-Cognizes (MCL(U))
Within the established framework An(U), existence develops the capacity to cognize itself . This manifests through the emergence of complex, information-processing systems (life, minds, potentially AGI) exhibiting stable cognitive structures and capabilities, MCL(U) . These capabilities—abstraction, quantification, hierarchical reasoning, causal inference, consistency checking—are not a priori mental faculties but emerge as effective strategies for modeling, predicting, and navigating the specific reality defined by An(U). They are the universe developing an internal resonance or reflection of its own structural patterns and dynamic regularities. MCL(U) represents existence gaining the means to apprehend itself, albeit from within its own emergent structures. The inherent limitations of cognition (e.g., bounded rationality, cognitive biases, difficulty grasping foundational paradoxes) are thus understood as secondary boundaries , reflecting the nested nature of cognition arising within the already bounded realization An(U). Cognition is the specific mode through which this instance of existence accesses and represents itself.
2.3 Principle III: Existence Self-Tools (CL(U))
The self-cognizing capacity (MCL(U)) enables existence to further extend and empower itself through the development of formal analytical and constructive tools, CL(U) —mathematics, logic, scientific methods, symbolic languages. These tools are externalized, systematized, and communicable projections of the underlying cognitive structures. They function as bridges , facilitating more precise, reliable, and collective inlimitations and potential blind spots of these tools (e.g., Gödel’s incompleteness theorems, the descriptive challenges posed by quantum phenomena or consciousness) signify the inherent information loss or structural mismatch involved in projecting the richness of An(U) and MCL(U) onto finite, consistent formal systems. Tooling is the methodical way existence refines its interaction with its own foundational structure, creating blueprints and instruments within its cognitive reach.
2.4 Principle IV: Existence Self-Manifests (A(U))
Mediated by cognition (MCL) and enabled by its tools (CL), existence actively manifests itself in the myriad forms we observe and create: physical phenomena, technological artifacts, social organizations, cultural expressions, knowledge systems—collectively, the patterns of existence, A(U) . These are not passive states but the dynamic performance of existence enacting its potential within the framework An(U), driven by the foundational dynamic An(P0=0) ≠ An(P0=0). Technological evolution, social complexification, and scientific discovery are all facets of this ongoing self-manifestation. Encountering bottlenecks and limitations in this process (e.g., technological plateaus, resource access rate limits, complexity-induced crises) is understood not as external failure but as the self-manifestation process reaching the intrinsic operational boundaries defined by An(U). These boundaries are revealed precisely when existence attempts to push against them through its own developmental logic. Manifestation is the unfolding drama of existence exploring and performing within its self-realized stage.
2.5 Principle V: Existence Self-Affirms (An(U) → … → An(U))
The entire cycle culminates in a recursive loop of self-affirmation , conceptually represented by the overarching dynamic An(U) → … → A(U) → An(U). The complex activities and information structures generated in A(U) feed back, primarily stabilizing and affirming the foundational conditions An(U) that made them possible. The successful functioning of A(U)—the persistence of life, the coherence of knowledge, the stability of complex systems—relies on and continuously enacts the rules embedded in An(U). When A(U) encounters the intrinsic limits defined by An(U), it serves as a profound revelation and affirmation of those limits as constitutive of this specific mode of existence. The very persistence and coherence of this dynamic loop, despite its internal tensions and limitations, constitutes the ultimate self-affirmation of existence. It signifies that the foundational principle An(P0=0) has successfully actualized, through the path ω_U, a self-consistent, dynamically stable realization An(U) capable of sustaining complexity and even self-awareness. The loop is the dynamic through which existence maintains coherence and validates its own paradoxical foundation through its complete, unfolding life cycle.
3. Implications of the Information Ontology of “Self-”
This ontological framework offers several significant philosophical implications:
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Information and Process as Fundamental: It grounds reality in informational principles and dynamic processes, displacing static substance or void as the metaphysical bedrock. Being is inherently tied to becoming and information processing.
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Limitation as Constitution: It reframes limits and boundaries not as imperfections or external constraints, but as necessary, intrinsic features that define and constitute any specific mode of existence. The idea of unbounded existence might be ontologically incoherent.
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Emergence as Ontological Engine: It places emergence and self-organization at the heart of cosmic creativity, explaining the hierarchical complexity of reality from a simple, paradoxical origin.
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Paradox as Generative Core: It embraces foundational paradox not as a problem to be eliminated, but as the vital source of dynamism, difference, and the potential for novelty in the universe. Local consistency may be an emergent strategy within a globally paradoxical system.
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Agency Within Structure: It allows for genuine agency (choices made via MCL/CL influencing A(U)) but situates this agency firmly within the inescapable structural logic and boundaries defined by An(U). Fatalism pertains to the inescapability of the framework, not the predetermination of every event.
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Meaning Internal to the Cycle: It suggests that existential meaning is not contingent upon achieving permanence or transcending limitations, but can be found within the dynamic cycle itself—in the richness of experience, the pursuit of understanding, the creation of complexity, the navigation of paradox, and the affirmation of existence despite its inherent finitude.
4. Conclusion: Existence as a Paradoxical, Self-Generating Informational Loop
The Information Ontology proposed herein, grounded in GSISOM and articulated through the five principles of “Self-”, offers a vision of existence as a dynamic, recursive, and profoundly informational process. Originating from the creative tension of the foundational paradox An(P0=0), existence unfolds as a specific self-realization An(U), which then generates the cognitive means (MCL) and formal tools (CL) to apprehend and interact with itself, leading to diverse manifestations (A(U)). This entire edifice is sustained and ultimately validated through a self-affirming loop that confirms both the generative power and the intrinsic limitations inherent in its origin. This ontology challenges us to rethink the nature of reality, the place of information and consciousness within it, and the deep structure that underlies our potential, our limitations, and our enduring quest for understanding. Existence, in this view, is not a given state, but the universe’s ongoing, paradoxical act of becoming and affirming itself.
References
[1] Hilbert, D. (1902). The Foundations of Geometry.
[2] Hilbert Geometry in Dynamical Contexts
[3] Meta-Observation of a Dynamic Evolution Paradigm for Hilbert Geometry
[4] The Logical Structure of the Observational Paradigm for the Dynamic Evolution of Hilbert Geometry
[5] Constructive Logic for the Dynamic Evolution of Mathematical Models: A Meta-Analysis Exemplified by Hilbert Geometry
[6] Meta-Logical Foundations for the Analysis of Dynamic Evolution in Mathematical Modeling
[7] On the Emergent and Mutually Influential Foundations of Mathematical and Logical Structures in Our Universe: A Recursive Traceback Analysis Based on GSISOM
[8] [Reference to core GSISOM paper(s) by the author, “Introduction to Modern Informatics: Ground State Information Self-Organizing Model”]
[9] [Reference to the extended papers by the author, “The Principle of Photon Selection”, “Self-Proof-of-Work”, " τ_U → 0 but ≠ 0", " An(P0=0): Reality Grounded in a Generative Paradoxical Principle", " An(P0=0) ≠ An(P0=0)"]