A Predictive Extension of Persistence Selection Theory: Auxiliary Propositions and the Predictions They Yield

This paper supplements Papers 1 and 2 of Persistence Selection Theory. Each chapter identifies a point at which the original papers are weak, states an auxiliary proposition that addresses it, and, where one follows, the prediction it yields. The persistence imperative is placed as an axiom: the theory does not explain it, because it is the definition of what the theory admits as data. Four auxiliary propositions are then stated. An operational nesting criterion distinguishes Levels by whether the compensatory mechanisms of one Level operate on the substrate of the preceding Level as a unit. A carrier/domain split redefines physical robustness and the internal stabilization domain as two separate quantities. A transition mechanism states that Level N+1 arises, in three phases, when the Diversification Layer of Level N acquires a Persistence Layer of its own. A layer assignment rule states that layers are assigned by the observed quantity of variation across generations, not by scale, modification cost, or evaluation. On this basis the substrate sequence of Paper 1 is extended from Level 8 to Level 15, the four layers of Paper 2 are assigned within Level 15 (large language models), and five predictions are stated with their generating propositions and falsification conditions.