The Cold‑Phase Ontology: A Timeless Structural Foundation for Quantum Mechanics
Authors/Creators
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Abstract
This paper develops a structural ontology in which quantum states arise from a timeless, nondynamical substrate referred to as the cold phase. In contrast to dynamical interpretations that treat the wavefunction as evolving in time, the cold‑phase framework proposes that the wavefunction is a representation of a deeper, global structural configuration. Coherence, superposition, interference, and entanglement emerge from intrinsic properties of this configuration rather than from temporal processes. The ontology is operationally conservative, preserving the Hilbert‑space formalism, the Born rule, and unitary evolution, while offering a unified structural explanation for nonclassical phenomena. The framework aligns with structural realism, relational interpretations, and timeless formulations of quantum gravity. Limitations and future directions are discussed, including the need for a full mathematical characterisation of the substrate and its integration with emergent spacetime models.
In this revision, the sampling density σ is generalized to a full state variable σ(T,ρ,P,t), enabling a unified account of coherence, locality, and emergent time
Series information
Revision 2: 05 FEB 2026
Updated to incorporate the full TPU sampling density σ(T,ρ,P,t), emergent time from sampling rate, σ‑dependent coherence structure, corrected equation formatting, updated author contact details, and minor consistency improvements across figures and terminology.
Funding: Please support the update effort here : https://buymeacoffee.com/tpu_institute
Insights: This is truly a most magical activity
This preprint provides the foundational work for The Warm‑Phase Keystone: A Structural Foundation of Emergence (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18304942). Both the Cold and Warm Phases are further developed and unified in the synthesis paper A Unified Ontology for Emergent Spacetime and Matter: The Two‑Phase Framework for Geometry, Quantum Behaviour, and Thermodynamics (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18304941).
Related work with Math Upcoming work for V2
A Two-Phase Ontology for Fundamental Physics: Nonlocal Replication, Sampling Density, and an Alternative Origin for the Primordial Power Spectrum DOI:10.5281/zenodo.18322385
Technical info
TPU Computational Lab (Theoretical / Simulation‑Only)
This project includes a complete 20‑graph visualization suite generated entirely through theoretical modelling and numerical simulation.
No laboratory experiments, empirical measurements, or physical data collection were performed.
All results arise from the mathematical structure of the Two‑Phase Universe framework.
Link to Graphs: TPU Computational Lab (Theoretical / Simulation‑Only)-carew
Files
Cold‑Phase-Ontology-Carew-v2.pdf
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Additional details
Related works
- Is described by
- Preprint: 10.5281/zenodo.18322385 (DOI)
- Is referenced by
- Preprint: 10.5281/zenodo.18304941 (DOI)
- Preprint: 10.5281/zenodo.18304942 (DOI)