Skip to content
Cohesion Dynamics (CD)

Conceptual Guide to Cohesion Dynamics

Welcome to Cohesion Dynamics. This guide provides a comprehensive introduction to the framework, explaining what it is, why it exists, and how its pieces fit together.

What Is Cohesion Dynamics?

Cohesion Dynamics (CD) is a framework that reimagines physical reality as the evolution of cohesive informational structures within an underlying substrate. Rather than assuming spacetime, particles, or forces are fundamental, CD treats them as emergent behaviours shaped by deeper rules of coherence and consistency.

The Core Insight

Physical reality emerges from the coherent evolution of information.

CD is not a geometric theory — geometry emerges from informational behaviour. It’s not a particle theory — particles emerge from stable cohesive structures. It’s not even primarily a spacetime theory — spacetime itself is a derived representational structure.

Why Does CD Exist?

CD addresses fundamental tensions in modern physics:

  • Quantum mechanics works extraordinarily well but lacks a coherent ontological picture
  • General relativity describes spacetime beautifully but can’t incorporate quantum behaviour
  • Standard approaches assume spacetime and fields as fundamental, then struggle to reconcile them

CD takes a different starting point: What if information and its coherent evolution are more fundamental than geometry or matter?

How CD Works: The Big Picture

1. The Substrate

CD begins with a discrete informational substrate — a high-dimensional structure where information persists and evolves. This isn’t spacetime (yet). Think of it as the computational medium in which physical reality unfolds.

2. Cohesion and Coherence

Cohesion is the tendency for informational structures to maintain consistency and synchronisation. When information coheres strongly, it forms stable structures. When cohesion is weaker or inconsistent, structures diverge or fail to persist.

3. Emergence of Physical Structure

From substrate mechanics and cohesion rules, CD derives:

  • Spacetime geometry — from propagation delays and closure accounting
  • Causality — from information reconciliation constraints
  • Quantum behaviour — from irreconcilable branching in the substrate
  • Gravity — from cohesion gradients and geometric distortion

4. A Multi-Layer Framework

CD is structured as a research programme with different series of papers addressing different aspects:

  • F-series: Foundational assumptions and ontological commitments
  • A-series: Formal substrate mechanics
  • M-series: Mechanism papers (how cohesion, construction, modes work)
  • B-series: Structural consequences (branching, non-factorisation)
  • G-series: Geometric and gravitational emergence
  • R-series: Reference frameworks and classifications
  • E-series: Empirical narrowing via simulation
  • P-series: Falsifiable predictions

Key Concepts

Informational Substrate

A discrete, high-dimensional structure where information is stored and updated. Unlike classical spacetime, this substrate has no inherent metric or continuous geometry.

Cohesive Structures

Patterns of information that maintain consistency across substrate updates. These structures can be:

  • Persistent (maintaining identity over time)
  • Localisable (occupying specific substrate regions)
  • Interacting (affecting each other’s evolution)

Reconciliation

The process by which informational structures synchronise and resolve conflicts. Reconciliation determines which structures persist and which diverge.

Constructors

Stable structures capable of causing transformations while remaining unchanged themselves. Constructors emerge when substrate conditions support persistent, repeatable patterns.

Quantum Structure

CD doesn’t add quantum mechanics as an overlay — it derives quantum-like behaviour from irreconcilable branching. When substrate cannot reconcile conflicting information, structures branch rather than selecting a single outcome.

Reading Path

If you’re ready to dive deeper, here’s a suggested reading order:

  1. Start Here — Brief narrative introduction
  2. Programme Overview — Understanding the research structure
  3. Foundational Papers — F-series papers stating core assumptions
  4. Substrate Mechanics — A-series papers defining the substrate
  5. Research Programme — Full programme architecture and epistemic roles

Different Perspectives

CD can be approached from multiple angles:

What Makes CD Different?

Not a Theory of Everything

CD doesn’t try to explain everything — it provides a substrate framework from which known physics can emerge. It’s a foundational framework, not a completed physical theory.

Epistemic Humility

Different papers serve different roles. Some state assumptions (F-series), others explore mechanisms (M-series), others test necessity (E-series). Understanding these roles is key to evaluating the work appropriately.

Constructor-Compatibility

CD doesn’t replace constructor theory — it provides a potential substrate mechanism that could support constructor-theoretic principles. Where constructor theory asks what transformations are possible, CD asks how substrate makes them possible.

Falsifiable

CD makes specific, testable predictions (P-series). It’s not “just philosophy” — it constrains observable physics and can be empirically tested.

Next Steps

Choose your next destination:

Note: This guide provides an overview. For full formal treatment, consult the paper series. For questions or discussion, see the Contact page.