Structures and Processes: A Falsifiable Framework for Ontological Analysis

We present a falsifiable ontological framework: structures emerge from processes. A structure is any observable entity, system, or pattern; a process is any mechanism, activity, or interaction. The framework claims structures are not independent entities maintained by external forces—they are emergent patterns of organized process activity. This relationship is universal: every investigated structure reveals underlying processes; process cessation causes structural dissolution or transformation. The framework is falsifiable: find one structure existing without processes → refuted. Pattern tested across physics, biology, cosmology, psychology, and sociology. We demonstrate a two-layer architecture: Layer 1 (ontological) identifies universal pattern across observable structures; Layer 2 (epistemological) classifies our epistemic access to processes. A taxonomy classifies processes as mappable/non-mappable and visible/invisible, constrained by knowledge and tools. As capabilities advance, non-mappable processes become mappable—enabling self-correction without invalidating core principles. The framework emerges from pattern recognition: if processes cease, structures transform or vanish. This pattern holds universally across centuries of scientific investigation.