Future Viable Continuations: Does Contraction of C_V Predict Future Loss of Viability Beyond Reachability and Viability Kernels?

This article develops an empirical protocol for testing the predictive value of changes in the future viable continuation space of a system. The central distinction is: reachable continuation ≠ admissible continuation ≠ viable continuation ≠ preservation of future viability. G41 distinguished: C_P — Potential Continuation Space; C_R — Realizable Continuation Space; C_V — Viable Continuation Space. Where a scientifically justified domain-specific measure: μ exists, the relative measure of viable continuations may be represented as: K_V = μ(C_V) / μ(C_R). I6 does not treat C_V as independently novel if it is mathematically equivalent to an established viability kernel, safe set, reachable set, or controlled invariant set. The candidate Vitological contribution is restricted to testing whether a prospectively defined metrology of V allows changes in future viable continuation space to provide additional predictive information about subsequent system viability. The primary candidate relationship is: Current Function ≈ const, but μ(C_V) ↓ → increased risk of Future V ↓. The strongest empirical comparison is: Model A_C = strongest control-theoretic + viability-theoretic + domain-specific model versus: Model B_CV = Model A_C + locked Vitological continuation information. Added predictive value is: ΔP_CV = P_B − P_A. Independent scientific support requires reproducible improvement on independent data. The strongest possible result would not be the discovery that viable trajectories exist. It would be evidence that contraction or expansion of future viable continuation space, when defined relative to an independently reconstructed V, predicts later viability beyond established descriptions of reachability, safety, invariance, and control. Keywords Vitology; viability; viable continuation; future viable continuation space; C_V; C_R; C_P; continuation space; viability kernel; reachability; invariance; safe set; control theory; Viability Theory; future viability; contraction of viable future; recursive viability; viability trajectory; Model A; Model B; added predictive value; cross-domain metrology.