The Ethics Constraint: Structural Prerequisite for Systemic Survival in Complex Intelligent Systems

This working paper introduces a systems-level argument for ethics as a structural rather than philosophical requirement. Drawing on biology, thermodynamics, and cognitive coherence, it defines “structural ethics” as the embedded alignment geometry that allows intelligent systems to survive under internal and external pressure. The paper includes an applied analysis of collapse vectors in current AI and economic systems and serves as the first Field Proof within a broader framework — The Līla Code.