From the Minimum Unit of Matter‑Energy to the Emergence of Space: A First‑Principles Derivation Based on the Nexus‑Connection‑Bond Generative Chain

Author: Feng Dejian Independent Researcher|ORCID: 0009‑0000‑5793‑9666|Web of Science ResearcherID: PQA‑8034‑ Abstract Starting from the core ontological postulate that a minimum unit of matter‑energy exists, possesses intrinsic positive‑negative binary properties and is indivisible, this paper is supplemented by two additional postulates and one statistical modelling assumption. Without presupposing space, time, interaction forces, phase space, manifolds or metrics as pre‑existing backgrounds, step‑by‑step ontological reasoning yields a complete generative chain: minimum unit -> nexus -> connection -> space‑compression coefficient epsilon (emergence of space) -> bond -> visible matter. Within this postulate system, space emerges as a product of relational‑network evolution with a causal generation priority over matter. The space‑compression coefficient epsilon belongs to the ontological level of connection, one level above bonds and three levels deeper than statistical‑mechanical entropy. This work establishes the analytical relation S = S0 - alpha * k * ln(epsilon), building a mathematical bridge between space‑compression effects and Boltzmann entropy. The evolutionary direction of epsilon directly determines the evolutionary trend of system entropy. This manuscript completes ontological‑consistency inspection, logical closed‑loop verification and mathematical limit‑behaviour validation. It strictly distinguishes logical inferences valid only within the postulate system from experimentally verified objective natural facts. This work constructs an ontological prototype without pre‑supposed background space and offers new perspectives for research toward a unified‑field theory. Nevertheless, the framework has not yet produced full quantitative observable predictions and remains a developing theoretical prototype. Keywords: first principles; emergence of space; ontological generative theory; nexus‑connection; space‑compression coefficient; entropy; background‑free physical theory