The Consistency Principle (Part I): A Foundational Variational Basis for Physical Law

The most powerful developments in physics have often arisen from identifying a single quantity whose extremization characterizes the behavior of physical systems. From the principle of least action to entropy maximization, nature frequently appears to organize itself through variational structure. Yet our deepest theories—quantum mechanics and general relativity—still depend on postulates that are accepted but not derived, and both treat spacetime and energy as primitive ingredients. In this work, we explore whether the foundations of physics may lie at a deeper level: the global self-consistency of the universe’s informational structure. We introduce a consistency functional 𝓚(ρ) and consider reality as the informational state ρ that extremizes it. Within this formulation, spacetime geometry can emerge from informational correlations, energetic behavior may arise from changes in entropy, and familiar physical laws appear as potential consequences of enforcing consistency. In this view, relations such as E = mc² can be interpreted as emerging from the framework rather than being assumed, and quantum theory and gravitation may be understood as complementary expressions of informational coherence. The Consistency Principle therefore offers a possible unified origin for the structure of physical law and suggests a direction for further theoretical development. Full manuscript currently under formal review; access temporarily restricted. DOI remains active for citation. Brenton E. Saba ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8025-9662