Emergence of Existence in a Closed Reversible Computational Universe: Local Kernels, Host Interfaces, and Observer Gauges

What is an "object"—or "existence" itself—in a universe with no pre-given spacetime? Following our previous proof-of-concept on the operational emergence of the arrow of time, this work asks an even more primitive ontological question: how does stable existence emerge in a strictly reversible, background-free graph-rewriting universe? We demonstrate that functional roles cannot be reduced to detachable static modules. Instead, existence in a purely relational system is a dynamical pattern sustained by the coupling of a local kernel, host interfaces, and an observer gauge. Abstract: What counts as existence in a closed relational universe with no a priori spacetime background and only strictly reversible updates? Standard physical and computational intuition usually assumes that stable function can be localized in static modules that may be detached and reused. Using a graph-rewriting model, the present study shows that this assumption does not hold in the present setting. Forced scattering and quotienting of dynamical outcomes reveal two recurrent role families: low-entropy transducer-like states and high-entropy branching states. However, perturbation, translation, and transplantation tests show that a local kernel is necessary but not sufficient; once detached from its native host network, the original role usually collapses. To characterize the underlying ontology, we introduce a local recurrence-topology analysis. Low-entropy states are dominated by sealed recurrence, whereas excited branching outcomes are dominated by excursion recurrence. Further analysis shows that macroscopic long periods need not arise from a simple elongation of one local path, but can emerge naturally from multiplexed host-interface channels and broadened lag spectra. Multi-scale probe perturbations additionally show that these mechanisms are observer-gauge dependent. We therefore propose that, in a purely relational system, existence should not be viewed as a static topological block, but as a dynamical pattern sustained by the coupling of a local kernel, host interfaces, and an observer gauge. Objecthood is gauge-relative, but once a gauge is fixed it becomes an operationally testable dynamical fact. About this Artifact: This repository contains the preprint manuscript and the minimal reproducible artifact (MRA). The attached dataset includes the final summary CSV files, generated figures, and file-to-claim mappings supporting the mechanistic framework discussed in the paper. All data and scripts are provided for open reproducibility.