The Paton System — Master Foundation

The Paton System is a viability-first structural framework designed to evaluate whether systems, models, or explanations are permitted to continue within existing physical, logical, and operational constraints. Rather than proposing new laws or replacing existing theories, the framework operates as an admissibility gate that determines persistence, tolerance limits, and breakdown conditions. This paper presents the foundational structure, scope boundaries, tier model, and continuation criteria of the Paton System, establishing it as a pre-theoretical lens compatible with scientific, engineering, cognitive, and organizational domains.