SDT Corpus

Structural Determination Theory (SDT) is a single-axiom meta-structural metaphysical framework derived from one ontological commitment: reality consists of distinctly differentiated structure. From this axiom, SDT develops a formal apparatus addressing reality, time, irreversibility, space, and quantum phenomena, without borrowing from any specific physical theory.

This site is the working-version home of the SDT corpus. Published versions are at PhilArchive.

The Axiom

Reality consists of distinctly differentiated structure.

From this single commitment, SDT derives a formal apparatus comprising elements ( $E$ ), possible configurations ( $P$ ), constraint systems ( $C$ ), the global meta-structural rule ( $G$ ), the realized-structure set ( $R$ ), the admissible-configuration set ( $A$ ), structural layers ( $L$ ), determination events ( $D$ ), traces ( $τ$ ), and the determination dependency graph ( $G_{D}$ ). Three core arguments follow: $R$ non-retraction (Argument 1), $G$ constancy (Argument 2), and time emergence from $G_{D}$ ‘s partial-order growth (Argument 3).

Papers

The SDT corpus consists of fifteen papers grouped into five clusters.

Foundation (v5.9 triad)

SDT v5.9 — The main document. Single-axiom framework with eleven core concepts, four-type determination classification, three core arguments, and the derived status of spatial distance.
Matrix v5.9 — Mathematical certification of v5.9 with thirty theorems. Coming soon.
GD v1.0 — Graph-theoretic formalization of $G_{D}$ with axioms G1-G5, chain-pair geometry, sheaf-theoretic Kochen-Specker no-obstruction. Coming soon.

Core Applications

Quantum v4.1 — Thirty-five quantum foundational problems addressed via the meta-structural framework, plus dialogue with eleven interpretive stances. Coming soon.
Causation Range — Five foundational claims on causation: structural causation is irreducible, ontologically prior to time, and modal-structural rather than probabilistic. Coming soon.
Time as Mediator — The Problem of Time dissolved at the meta-level. QM and GR time as two projections of one underlying meta-level temporal structure. Coming soon.
Three Dimensions of Categorical Priority — SDT vs Loop Quantum Gravity, Causal Set Theory, and String Theory on background independence, grounds of discreteness, and category placement. Coming soon.

Philosophical Applications

Time Philosophy Systematic Failure — The century-long debate in time philosophy diagnosed as resting on shared unfounded primitives. Coming soon.
Bounded Free Will — Consciousness is structure; the two-layer determination structure of conscious evolution; the three-aspect refutation-form argument for bounded free will. Coming soon.
Distributed Identity — Synchronic and diachronic identity as distributed across $R$ , $T$ , and $G_{D}$ . Coming soon.
Biology Identification — Twelve necessary and sufficient graph-theoretic conditions identifying biological organisms in $G_{D}$ . Coming soon.
Consciousness Identification — Sixteen necessary and sufficient conditions for consciousness identification with three extensions and a cross-chain personal identity criterion. Coming soon.

AI Application

Range Control — Why probabilistic frameworks necessarily separate AI alignment and safety, and how range-based foundations unify them through a single design choice. Coming soon.

Physics-Theorem Layer

SDT-KS No-Obstruction — Sheaf-theoretic no-obstruction theorem on $G_{D}^{LSO}$ . Coming soon.
SDT-No-Cloning — Use exclusivity (G5) implies the no-cloning theorem under SDT-to-QM mapping. Coming soon.

Reading Paths

Different readers will benefit from different entry points. See Reading Map for recommendations.

About

This corpus is developed by Xiaozhou Zeng (Leo), an independent researcher based in Nancy, France. ORCID: 0009-0001-8244-7329.

The published version of SDT v5.9 is available at PhilArchive: https://philpapers.org/rec/ZENSDT.

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