This is the map. It shows what exists, what's proved, what's open, and how everything connects. Read this before diving into individual documents.

Reading Paths

Solid arrows = required reading order. Dashed = optional physics deep-dive.

There are two entry points depending on your goal:

Goal	Start here
Understand the framework (concepts, applications)	Part 0: Foundations → Part 1 → Part 1.5 → Part 2–Part 5
Understand the physics foundations	Cause-Plex and Spacetime → Quantum → Amplitude Fixed-Point
Understand one specific result	Use the dependency graph below

Full Document Map

Core Series (public reading path)

Order	Part	Topic	Next
0	Part 0: Foundations	What epimechanics is; causation as primitive	→ Part 1
1	Part 1: Generalized Mechanics	X as universal state variable; mass, force, energy, Lagrangian	→ Part 1.5, Part 1b
1.5	Part 1.5: Causors	What entities are made of; bond/loop operators; Q1–Q4 descriptors	→ Part 2
1b	Part 1b: Uncertainty/Coordinates	Limits of the framework; reference frames	→ Part 2
1c	Part 1c: Thermodynamic Emergence	Life as thermodynamic inevitability	→ Part 2
2	Part 2: Meta-Entities	When aggregates earn entity status	→ Part 3
2.5	Part 2.5: Entity Interaction	How entities couple and interact	→ Part 3
3	Part 3: Intelligence/Consciousness/Agency	What entities know and do	→ Part 4
4	Part 4: Time and Soul	How long entities matter; soul as causal biography	→ Part 5
5	Part 5: Ontology and Open Questions	Full formal ontology; nine open questions	—

Physics Foundations (grounding the framework)

Order	Document	Topic	Depends on
A1	Cause-Plex and Spacetime	Lorentzian metric, energy, GR from causal primitive	Part 1
A2	Cause-Plex and Quantum	QM from multiway cause-plex; Born rule; entanglement	Spacetime
A3	Amplitude Fixed-Point	U(1) unique fixed point of G⊗G≅G — PRIMARY derivation	Quantum
A4	Loop-Phase Consistency	Corroborating routes; causal-void counterexample; CSS connectivity	Amplitude FP
A5	Dimensionality	Why 3+1: observer-selection constraints on spacetime	Spacetime

Theory Notes (standalone extensions)

Note	Topic	Relates to
Effective Mass	Bare vs. effective mass; medium effects on entity resistance	Part 1
Persistence Reversal	When composites outlive constituents	Part 2
Cross-Level Tracing	What survives coarse-graining	Part 2–Part 3
Belief Field	Belief dynamics as field theory	Part 3
Coupling Chains	Causal chain propagation	Part 1.5

Concept Dependency Graph

How each major concept depends on its predecessors. Arrows = "derived from" or "depends on."

Proof Status Summary

Claim	Status	Document
Cause-plex is a locally finite poset	✅ Definition	Spacetime §1
P1: strict partial order	✅ Proved	Spacetime §2
P2: spacelike commutativity	✅ Proved (P1 + L + CD)	Spacetime §2
Proper time from event counts	✅ Derived	Spacetime §3
Lorentzian metric (up to conformal factor)	✅ Proved (Malament 1977)	Spacetime §4
Conformal factor fixed	⚠️ Number=volume conjecture	Spacetime §4.2
Lorentz invariance	✅ Proved	Spacetime §4.4
Dimensionality n_s=3	⚠️ Observer-selection conjecture	Spacetime §10
Energy from Noether (Layer C)	✅ Defined at Layer C	Spacetime §5
Gravitational action (Layer 0)	✅ Benincasa-Dowker 2010	Spacetime §7.2
Matter action (Layer C)	✅ Defined at Layer C	Spacetime §7.2
w(γ) ∈ U(1)	✅ Proved — G⊗G≅G has unique non-trivial compact connected solution U(1)	Amplitude Fixed-Point Theorem 6.1
φ(γ) = S/ℏ (Layer C)	✅ Proved (Proposition 6.2)	Loop-Phase §6
ℏ = ΔE_min/\|C_ref\| non-circular	✅ Derived	Loop-Phase §6.3
Born rule	⚠️ Conditional on Gorard 2020	Quantum §4.2
Classical limit	✅ Stationary phase	Quantum §4.3
Entanglement as branch structure	✅ Structural characterization	Quantum §5
Classical mechanics	✅ Derived	—
Thermodynamics	✅ Derived	—
Entity taxonomy (Q1-Q4)	✅ Part 1.5: Causors	Causors
Meta-entities	✅ Part 2	—
Intelligence/consciousness/agency	✅ Part 3	—
Soul/non-local time	✅ Part 4	—

Legend: ✅ Proved/derived/defined · ⚠️ Conditional or conjecture · 🧭 Postulate

What's Genuinely Open

Scope note: The three items below are open problems for the physics foundation papers (spacetime, quantum, loop-phase) specifically. The broader framework has nine open questions — see Part 5: Ontology and Open Questions for the full list.

Only three items remain unresolved in the physics papers:

Open item	Why it matters	Path to closure
Number=volume conjecture	Fixes the conformal factor in the Lorentzian metric	Active research in causal set theory; numerical evidence strong
Dimensionality n_s=3	Explains why we observe 3+1	Observer-selection argument is rigorous and grounded (Tangherlini + knot topology); needs formal statement as conjecture, not theorem
Born rule via Gorard	Connects multiway structure to probability	Either verify Gorard 2020 independently, or use Sorkin's discrete path measure as an alternative route

Everything else in the framework is either proved, postulated explicitly, or defined at the appropriate layer.

Development History

This section records significant structural changes to the framework. Dated entries reflect work sessions. See individual documents for current proof status.

2026-03-25

For those tracking the framework's development — the following gaps identified in the AUDIT were resolved in today's work session:

Issue	Resolution
P2 hidden assumption	Added Causal Dependency Axiom (CD) explicitly
Imaginary phase underspecified	Three-argument approach: Sorkin grade-2 + loop-phase + Wick rotation
Energy/action circularity	Layer separation: U(1) at Layer 0, S/ℏ identification at Layer C
ℏ circular (Planck time)	Redefined τ_min = 1/\|C_ref\| — event count ratio, no ℏ involved
Conjecture 4.2 (loop connectivity)	Proved for CSS cause-plexes (Theorem 4.4); counterexample found for general case
Critical-events rerouting (Step 3)	Proved via L1/L2/L3 sub-lemmas in step3_lemma.md
Phase-action identification	Proved as Proposition 6.2 (definitional identification at Layer C)
Stable Observer Manifold called "Theorem"	Downgraded to "Conjecture" with honest status
Missing Tangherlini reference	Added to spacetime paper references
Halliwell & Yearsley wrong journal	Fixed: PRD 86 (2012) not PRA 87 (2013)
Gorard not labeled as preprint	Labeled conditional in Theorem 4.2
No CST relationship section	Added §8 to spacetime paper
Layer architecture not visible	Added Layer notes to spacetime and quantum papers
CI_min undefined	Defined via knot topology threshold
No self-grounding graph	Added Mermaid graph to spacetime paper + this document

Generated: 2026-03-25 | For the full series: Index

Epimechanics — Series Map

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