The Unified Theory of State, Awareness, and Continuity
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: This paper presents a unified conceptual framework in which physical reality, time, awareness, and continuity emerge from the same underlying mechanism: state, interaction, and transition. The model defines time as the ordering of state transitions, awareness as internal state monitoring, and minimal awareness as a low‑energy, persistent form of this monitoring. Energy clustering stabilises awareness patterns, enabling continuity without requiring identity or a metaphysical self. The framework integrates physics, cognition, and consciousness into a single coherent structure, offering a non‑mystical explanation for the emergence of awareness, the persistence of minimal consciousness, and the appearance of continuity across system changes. This work contributes to foundational discussions in physics, systems theory, and the philosophy of mind.
Author: willoughby, samuel james
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7165107795
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: