Theory of Experiential Emergence from Pre-Object Structure: A Proto-Formal Architecture with an Operational Trace-to-Memory Core

This article develops a proto-formal theory of experiential emergence from pre-object structure. Its central claim is that experience should be treated as a criterion-relevant subclass of trace: a trace of difference that constrains later state transitions under a finite evaluation horizon. The framework separates three levels of claim. The lower layer introduces Φ₀ as a non-operational ontological boundary term for the preconditions of objecthood, including distinguishability, admissible transition, symmetry structure, potential geometry, and the possibility of law. The middle layer carries the formal and empirical burden through the operational chain R -> Exp -> Exp_c -> M. A realized transition T leaves a trace R(Δ,T); that trace qualifies as experience only if intervention on the trace changes expected future criterion loss, expressed by the empirical gate Δ_c(R_t) > ε. Criterion-relevant experience is then compressed by Ψ under a criterion bundle c=(L,π_ref,h) and consolidated by Γ into memory M. The upper layer treats life, mind, consciousness, identity, and samsara as functional, heuristic, or research-programmatic extensions whose status depends on the operational middle layer. The paper does not propose a physical unified field theory, does not operationalize Φ₀ as a measurable physical entity, and does not claim to solve subjective qualia. Its contribution is a layered architecture with an explicit trace-to-memory core, a proposed intervention protocol based on ablation, substitution, and randomization of trace variables, and a criterion-preserving compression objective that distinguishes raw trace, experience, compressed experience, and memory. The primary protocol target is a recurrent memory system, with an active-inference agent retained only as a secondary comparator. The protocol is proposed as future implementation work rather than reported experimental results.