Thermodynamic Selection Across Scales:\\ A Unified Framework for Stability from Macroscopic Structures to Quantum Fields

We propose a unified thermodynamic selection framework that governs the persistence and stability of physical structures across all scales. This framework, termed Fundamental Selection Theory (FST), is based on energy flux thresholds that determine the viability of configurations in both macroscopic and microscopic systems. Originally developed for large-scale dissipative structures, we extend FST here to the quantum scale, showing that it naturally explains the emergence of mass gaps in gauge theories. Our results suggest that thermodynamic selection is a universal principle underpinning structure and stability throughout the physical world.