We propose the Ouroboros system — a classical Lagrangian field theory of two coupled, Lorenz‑constrained covariant vector fields over flat (3+1) -dimensional Minkowski space — as a candidate law of physics prior to gravity. By the Werbos classical‑quantum equivalence theorem (2002, 2004), this classical field theory is dynamically equivalent to its own canonical quantization: its equilibrium statistical mechanics is identical to that of a superrenormalizable bosonic quantum field theory. Hence the Ouroboros system simultaneously enjoys the mathematical transparency of a classical field theory and the predictive power of a quantum field theory, with no renormalization subtractions. Its elementary particles are chaoitons: stable, time‑periodic, localized solutions that evade Derrick's theorem through oscillation. We present nine lines of evidence that this single Lagrangian accounts for: stable localized particles with positive energy; charge quantization via a mutual Chern‑Simons linking number (the electron as two linked field loops) ; intrinsic angular momentum; electromagnetism recovered exactly in the linear limit; a long‑range nuclear force that explains the Sawada anomalies (absent in QCD) ; superrenormalizability without fine‑tuning; and a natural dark matter candidate — the neutral chaoiton. A systematic numerical benchmark (Griesi 2026) yields the neutral chaoiton mass m_χ = 0. 460 MeV for the electron‑calibrated parameters. Independent reproduction of the electron calibration to 0. 30% supports the framework. When coupled to gravity in Carmeli’s five‑dimensional gauge formulation, the combined system becomes a complete, finite, superrenormalizable theory of all interactions. **Although the title says ‘prior to gravity’, this compatibility with Carmeli gravity makes the Ouroboros system the first complete theory matching all interactions we have tested – an historic event. ** We state clearly what is proved, what is numerically demonstrated, and what remains to be established. The classical‑quantum equivalence implies that quantum mechanics is not a primitive; phenomena often attributed to ‘quantum consciousness’ have a purely classical explanation within this framework.
Paul Werbos (Wed,) studied this question.