Choice, Selection, and Realization of Viable Continuations in Systems of Different Nature

This article systematizes scientifically formalized mechanisms of choice, selection, filtering, and realization of continuations in systems of different nature and examines whether they can be compared through a common Vitological framework of viability. Selection is not introduced as a new discovery of Vitology. Natural selection is fundamental to evolutionary theory. Population genetics formalizes viability selection. Dynamical systems theory describes trajectories, attractors, stability, and admissible transitions. Physics and synergetics investigate self-organization and the realization of particular dynamical regimes. Chemical kinetics formalizes competing reaction pathways. Cybernetics and control theory formalize feedback, state estimation, admissible controls, invariant sets, reachability, optimization, and predictive control. Viability Theory directly studies trajectories capable of remaining within specified constraint sets. Reinforcement learning formalizes sequential choice through policies, evaluation, interaction, and learning. The article introduces the concept of Operational Continuation Choice, defined as the realization of one continuation or a subset of continuations from a set of potentially admissible system continuations without requiring the presence of consciousness or subjective intention. For non-agentic systems, operational choice does not mean psychological decision-making. It refers to the realization of particular transitions under the influence of state, structure, interactions, constraints, and regularities. For regulated systems, feedback is added. For adaptive systems, previous outcomes modify subsequent responses. For predictive systems, internal representations of future states become possible. For systems capable of Synchroauthenticity, Vitology additionally examines coordination among Meaning, actual State, Reality, the Norm of Harmony, and Action. The article introduces the candidate concepts of Potential Continuation Space, Realizable Continuation Space, Viable Continuation Space, Recursive Viability of Continuation, and a functional hierarchy of continuation-selection apparatus. The central candidate proposition is that a persisting system exists through sequences of realized transitions that do not eliminate all possibilities of its subsequent viable continuation. This proposition is not presented as an established universal law. Its scientific status must be tested against strong domain-specific models and, especially, against modern control theory and Viability Theory in H7. Keywords Vitology, viability, choice, selection, continuation, viable continuation, natural selection, control theory, Viability Theory, self-organization, dynamical systems, reaction pathways, feedback, reinforcement learning, Synchroauthenticity, Aw–Con–CON, Norm of Harmony, Meaning, Reality of the Field of Life, cross-domain metrology.