The Deductive Architecture of Life: From Boundary Mechanics to Objective Normativity

AbstractBiological sciences have historically defined life a posteriori, relying on observational abstractionsand evolutionary contingency (e.g., the capacity for Darwinian selection). This reliance resultsin definitions that fail basic edge cases—such as the sterile mule—and structurally preclude anybridge to objective value. This paper abandons observational abstraction in favor of a priori logi-cal deduction. By starting with the minimal physical precondition for identity—the maintenanceof a boundary against continuous disruptive interaction—we derive the exact operational mechan-ics of life, agency, and value. Through an eleven-step logical deduction, we demonstrate that lifeis the constitutively necessary cybernetic loop of comparison and action required for a boundedsystem to persist. This framework proves that life and minimal agency are isomorphic, deducesDarwinian evolution as a deep-time navigational strategy rather than a defining parameter, andformally dissolves Hume’s Is-Ought gap by embedding normativity within the operational re-quirements of persistence. Ultimately, this deductive framework provides a universal, falsifiablediagnostic tool capable of distinctly categorizing living agents, natural physical processes, andartificial intelligence.Keywords: Theoretical Biology, Agency, Cybernetics, Normativity, Derivation of Life