Information-Energy-State Unity: The Foundation of Existence (v3.1)

This paper upgrades the ontological framework, developing from "Information-Energy Unity" to "Information-Energy-State Unity," and further clarifies the position of perception within ontology. The core thesis is that any existing thing is an inseparable coupling of information, energy, and state. Information is distinguishable differences; energy is the cost of maintaining or changing differences; and state is the overall state, pattern, tendency, or configuration of information-energy coupling. This paper clarifies that perception is the unitary interactive process of information-energy-state unity, through the integrated operation of perceptual capacity, with external input — action and being-acted-upon occurring simultaneously. It is the way in which information-energy-state unity is known to itself. Time is defined as the causal cycle of information-energy-state, and space as the extensibility of informational differences. The paper concludes with falsifiability conditions, inviting readers to corroborate or challenge.