From Relation to Existence： An Ontological Framework Based on Coupling and Emergence

This paper proposes a cross-layer ontological framework that explains the emergence of existence—from quantum fields to consciousness—through the concepts of coupling, self-organization, and emergence. It argues that at the most fundamental level, the universe consists not of material substances but of relational rules (quantum fields and spacetime geometry). Through successive layers of self-organization (from quark confinement to neural synchronization), novel properties such as mass, life, and consciousness emerge irreducibly. Consciousness is redefined as a continuous coupling process of self-perception and interactive perception, while death is framed as the irreversible collapse of systemic coupling. The paper concludes with an open, non-religious hypothesis regarding the "soul" as an underlying self-referential protocol. This framework aligns with emergentism and non-reductive physicalism, and aims to provide a coherent narrative across physics, systems science, and cognitive neuroscience.