Before c, ¯ h, G: The Scalar Phase Field and the Operational Origin of Physical Law — Version 2.4

Abstract

This book presents Zero Theory, a self-contained scalar phase-field framework that seeks to derive the fundamental quantities of physics not as primitive assumptions, but as emergent consequences of phase structure, cyclic behavior, and topological constraints. The work begins with a foundational question: can physics be reconstructed from an entirely pre-geometric starting point, without assuming spacetime, metric structure, or predefined fundamental constants? Within this framework, the only primary entity is a phase field, denoted by φ(p), defined over an abstract label space in which distance, time, and classical geometry have not yet emerged. From this perspective, quantities such as length, time, Planck’s constant, electric charge, mass, and even field equations may arise as emergent layers generated through phase-cycle counting, 2π closure conditions, and topological organization. The theory introduces a single fundamental scale, ℓ₀, interpreted primarily as a translation scale between emergent regimes rather than as a freely adjustable parameter. This published version presents the central theoretical construction of the framework together with its mathematical formulation, conceptual interpretation, and discussion of the mechanisms through which effective physical quantities may emerge.

Keywords