STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES: A Falsifiable Framework for Ontological Analysis

We present a falsifiable ontological framework: structures emerge from processes. A structure is any observable entity, system, or pattern; a process is any mechanism, activity, or interaction. The framework claims structures are not independent entities maintained by external forces—they are emergent patterns of organized process activity. This relationship is universal and necessary: every investigated structure reveals underlying processes; process cessation causes structural dissolution or transformation. The framework is falsifiable: find one structure existing without processes → refuted. No counterexamples found despite testing across physics, biology, cosmology, psychology, and sociology. We demonstrate a two-layer architecture: Layer 1 (ontological) makes claims about reality's fundamental structure; Layer 2 (epistemological) addresses knowledge constraints. A taxonomy classifies processes as mappable/non-mappable and visible/invisible, constrained by knowledge and tools. As capabilities advance, non-mappable processes become mappable—enabling self-correction without invalidating core principles. The framework emerges from pattern recognition: if processes cease, structures transform or vanish. This pattern holds universally across centuries of scientific investigation.