The Origin of Life as a Minimal Self‑Referential Attractor

A concise theoretical framework that unifies non‑equilibrium thermodynamics, information theory, stochastic chemical dynamics, and dynamical systems to identify the minimal physical architecture capable of maintaining identity in a noisy, dissipative environment. The manuscript shows how autocatalytic networks, boundary formation, template memory above an error threshold, and replication coupled to metabolism can couple to form a stable attractor in chemical state space. That attractor—the proto‑cell—is presented as the simplest self‑referential dissipative structure permitted by physical law, sufficient for identity, heredity, and evolution independent of specific chemistries or historical contingencies. Equations are provided in plain‑text Unicode mathematical form and the paper emphasizes structural, model‑independent conditions for stability and persistence. AI‑Use Disclosure:AI‑assisted tools (Microsoft Copilot) were used for language editing and organization. All scientific content, equations, derivations, and conclusions are the author’s own.