Structural Time as a Consequence of Restricted Transformation

This note shows that a minimal order structure — termed structural time — arises as a necessary consequence of restricted transformation. Starting only from a state space and a set of admissible transformations, it is shown that if transformations are neither trivial nor universally mixing, the induced reachability relation cannot be total. This non-totality generates a structural non-simultaneity of states and induces an order relation. Structural time is thus not assumed and does not depend on identity, but emerges directly from the restriction of transformation. This result complements the emergence of identity as an invariant structure under the same transformation constraints.

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Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-03-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19074384
Primary Topic
Formal Methods in Verification
Type
article
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article

Structural Time as a Consequence of Restricted Transformation

Marc Maibom
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Formal Methods in Verification
article

Structural Time as a Consequence of Restricted Transformation

Marc Maibom
article en

Abstract

This note shows that a minimal order structure — termed structural time — arises as a necessary consequence of restricted transformation. Starting only from a state space and a set of admissible transformations, it is shown that if transformations are neither trivial nor universally mixing, the induced reachability relation cannot be total. This non-totality generates a structural non-simultaneity of states and induces an order relation. Structural time is thus not assumed and does not depend on identity, but emerges directly from the restriction of transformation. This result complements the emergence of identity as an invariant structure under the same transformation constraints.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Reduced inequalities
Openalex Percentile: Top 18%
Formal Methods in Verification
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