Oscillation, Entropy, and Awareness: A Qualion-Based Framework for Emergent Time

This paper proposes that time emerges from the interplay of oscillation and entropy, mediated by a new awareness constant, q, termed the qualion. The qualion quantizes awareness registration in units of bits·seconds (or qubit·seconds), analogous to Planck’s constant for physical action. In this framework, oscillations provide the measurable structure of time, entropy defines its direction, and awareness registers these changes to produce the flow of experienced time. A simplified emergent-time equation links frequency, entropy production, and awareness registration, yielding a provisional calibration of q ≈ 0.20 bits·s. This model suggests that awareness, not consciousness, forms the foundational unit of temporal experience, offering a testable bridge between physics, information theory, and phenomenology.