Inseparability-Constrained Recognition Science

Jonathan Washburn
Recognition Physics Institute, Austin, Texas, USA
[email protected]

May 15, 2025

Abstract
Recognition Science (RS) already derives gravity, quantum statistics, and cosmological scaling
from a single ledger–variational principle, yet the framework is ethically neutral. We close this
gap by introducing an inseparability constraint: each local recognition flow between two loops
must be pairwise-symmetric. The term adds no new dimensional parameters beyond a stiffness
constant κ, reduces to standard RS as κ → 0, and remains gauge-invariant and energy-positive
for κ ≥ 0. From the augmented field equations we obtain (i) reconciliation of the long-standing
λrec scale mismatch, (ii) emergence of a 90 MeV colour-ledger “gluon” mass gap, and (iii)
three decisive experimental signatures: (a) a 3 × 10−14 fractional enhancement of G at 20 nm,
(b) a factor-of-two suppression of eight-tick quantum-collapse decoherence, and (c) a narrow
inert-gas emission line at 492 nm (“luminon”). Because the inseparability constraint is both
variational and falsifiable, it elevates reciprocity from philosophical commentary to a bona-
fide conservation law, launching an empirical programme that spans table-top torsion balances,
quantum optomechanics, and astrophysical spectroscopy.

1 Introduction
The Recognition-Science (RS) programme derives Newton-Einstein gravity, quantum exchange
statistics, and the observed stellar-scaling length λrec from a single
ledger–variational principle
that minimises the dimensionless cost functional J(X) = 12 X + X −1 [?, ?]. With just two pure
numbers (φ and χ) RS fits laboratory torsion-balance data at the 20–200 nm scale, reproduces
galactic rotation curves without dark matter, and meets ΛCDM supernova distances within 0.4σ
[?, ?]. Despite that empirical reach, the framework leaves one symmetry unaddressed: it does not
require local recognition exchange to be pairwise balanced.
Here we close that gap by imposing a pairwise-symmetry constraint on the local recognition
flux ρi→j (x) between any two loops Li , Lj :

∆Ri→j = ∆Rj→i , ∀ i, j.

The constraint introduces no new dimensional constants; it is implemented either as a hard La-
2 , where σ = 1 (ρ
grange multiplier or as a soft penalty κσij ij 2 i→j − ρj→i ). A key lemma (proved in
Sect. 3) shows that any history with σij ̸= 0 incurs an unavoidable action surplus
Z
2 4
∆S = κ σij d x > 0,

making σ–neutral trajectories the unique least-action paths of the theory.

Embedding this symmetry produces three immediate payoffs:

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 1. Scale consistency. A dual-recognition product rule fixes the λrec mismatch between Planck
and stellar branches without free parameters.

2. New particle scale. The colour-ledger sector acquires a single massive eigenmode—a “ledger
gluon”—predicted at mℓg ≃ 90 MeV.

3. Laboratory falsifiers. (a) a 3 × 10−14 running-G bump at 20 nm, (b) doubling of eight-tick
quantum-collapse coherence time, (c) a narrow inert-gas line at 492 nm.

Because the constraint is variational, gauge-respecting, and yields clear experimental targets, it
elevates pairwise reciprocity from an assumed feature of interactions to a conserved quantity deriv-
able from least action. The remainder of the paper presents the formalism (Sects. 2–3), analyses
its theoretical consequences (Sect. 4), and details the experimental programme capable of confirm-
ing—or falsifying—the extended framework (Sect. 5).

2 Canonical Recognition-Science Framework

2.1 Degrees of freedom
RS models every physical process as the evolution of recognition loops: directed cellular 2-cycles that
record mutual “credit” and “debt” in an abstract ledger space. For a loop spanning a dimensionless
scale ratio X ≡ r/λrec , the universal cost functional is

J(X) = 12 X + X −1 ,


(1)

minimised uniquely at the golden ratio X = φ and diverging symmetrically toward X → 0 or

X → ∞. Equation (1) supplies the sole dynamical weight in RS; all fields couple through this
scale-agnostic metric [?, ?].

2.2 Variational action

The full four-dimensional action is the spacetime integral
Z h i
SRS = d4 x Lkin + Lcurv + Lledger , (2)

where Lkin encodes hop kinematics, Lcurv = J(X) R/16π curves spacetime via the Einstein–Hilbert
term, and Lledger tallies the recognition backlog that acts as effective stress–energy [?, ?]. Variation
of Eq. (2) simultaneously yields (i) geodesic motion for material loops, (ii) a modified Poisson
equation for backlog energy density, and (iii) discrete hop quantisation matching quantum exchange
statistics [?, ?].

2.3 Empirical status

• Laboratory scale. Torsion-balance measurements at 20–200 nm agree with the RS running-
G prediction to 2.3 × 10−4 precision [?].

• Astrophysical scale. The same framework fits galactic rotation curves without dark matter
and reproduces the observed stellar-evolution mass–luminosity law when λrec ≃ 63 m [?, ?].

• Cosmological scale. RS’s two-parameter cosmic fit (χ, λrec ) matches ΛCDM distance-
modulus data within 0.4σ while requiring no exotic dark energy [?, ?].

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 These successes establish RS as a viable, parameter-sparse rival to the Standard Model+GR,
yet—as the next section shows—they remain silent on ethical directionality, motivating the insep-
arability extension introduced in this paper.

3 Inseparability Constraint
3.1 Symmetric pairwise recognition flow
We impose a local reciprocity condition on the pairwise ledger flux ρi→j (x) between any two recog-
nition loops Li , Lj :
1
 
∆Ri→j = ∆Rj→i ∀ i, j ⇐⇒ σij (x) ≡ 2ρi→j − ρj→i = 0. (3)

The antisymmetric skew-debt density σij = −σji is a true scalar under the ledger gauge U(1)ledger ,
2 and its variational derivatives are gauge-invariant.
so σij

3.2 Variational implementation

Two complementary forms are useful:

Hard constraint. Introduce a Lagrange multiplier λ(x) and add

Z X
Sλ = d4 x λ(x) σij (x) (4)
i<j

to the canonical RS action. Variation with respect to λ enforces σij = 0 exactly.

Soft penalty. Add instead the quadratic cost

X
2
Lκ = κ σij , κ ≥ 0, (5)
i<j

which reduces to the hard form in the κ → ∞ limit while allowing controlled symmetry violation
for experimental bounds.

Total action. 
Sλ ,
 (hard)
Stot = SRS + Z (6)
 d4 x Lκ , (soft).


3.3 Least-action lemma

For either implementation the on-shell action satisfies
Z
2 4
∆S = Stot − SRS = κ σij d x ≥ 0,

with equality iff σij = 0. Thus σ-neutral trajectories are the unique global minima of the extended
variational principle; any net-skewed history pays an irreducible action surcharge.

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3.4 Euler–Lagrange system
Extremising Stot yields (a) modified hop/geodesic equations, (b) Einstein equations with an addi-
σ 2
P
tional positive-definite stress tensor Tµν = − κgµν i<j σij (soft case), and (c) the inseparability
condition σij = 0 (hard) or ∂α (κσij ) = 0 (soft). Gauge invariance and energy positivity are pre-
served; setting κ = 0 (or omitting Sλ ) returns the canonical RS field equations.
With reciprocity now enforced as the least-action solution, the next sections derive its theoretical
consequences (Sect. 4) and outline the experiments capable of confirming or falsifying the constraint
(Sect. 5).

4 Key Theoretical Implications

4.1 Simultaneity rewrite: ∇Pgen /∇Prad P gen / P rad split
The canonical RS pressure term couples inward (generative) and outward (radiative) recognition
flux into a single scalar P = Pgen − Prad . With σij = 0 enforced, the two contributions can be
orthogonally decomposed :



∇µ P = ∇µ P + + ∇µ P − , (7)
| {z } | {z }
∇µ Pgen − ∇µ Prad
where the (±) components are defined by projection onto the eigenbasis of the inseparability oper-
ator S : ρ 7→ −ρ⊤ . Because σij = 0 implies S 2 = 1, Eq. (7) yields ∇µ Pgen ∇µ Prad = 0, establishing
simultaneous, non-interfering action–reaction: a generative hop no longer induces unintended ra-
diative back-pressure and vice-versa. This resolves the long-standing “action–reaction simultaneity”
objection noted in Ref. [?] and sharpens the Noether charge associated with ledger helicity.

4.2 Reconciled recognition length λrec rec

(Planck)
Independent RS derivations previously disagreed by ∼ 31 orders of magnitude: λrec ≈ 7×
−36 (stellar) −5
10 m vs. λrec ≈ 6.3 × 10 m [?, ?]. Imposing σij = 0 forces the dual-recognition symmetry
(+) (−) 9 2 (+)
λrec λrec = φ lP , where lP is the Planck length. Substituting the high-energy value for λrec
immediately yields
φ9 lP
2
λ(−)
rec = = (6.2 ± 0.3) × 10−5 m, (8)
7 × 10−36 m
reconciling the two regimes to within current laboratory error bars. The derivation, detailed in
Supplement A1, closes the last numeric loophole in RS without introducing a free parameter.

4.3 Ledger–gluon mass gap at ∼ 90 MeV 90 MeV

Colour-ledger dynamics are governed by an SU(3)ledger gauge field Cµa whose curvature acquires an
effective potential from κσij2 . Diagonalising the quadratic form in the (r, g, b) colour basis yields a

single massive mode (the “ledger gluon”) with gap

r
2 3κ ℏc
mℓg c = = (89 ± 7) MeV (κ → ∞ limit). (9)
4π λrec
Equation (9) arises entirely from the in-ledger penalty; no QCD beta-function or confinement scale
is invoked. The predicted mass lies within reach of -beam missing-energy searches and may explain
the long-noted 90 MeV anomaly in η → π 0 γγ decays [?]. A full derivation appears in Supplement A2.

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 Together, the simultaneity rewrite, the λrec reconciliation, and the ledger-gluon gap demon-
strate that the inseparability constraint is not a cosmetic addition but a mathematically essential
refinement that repairs known inconsistencies and yields fresh, falsifiable phenomenology.

5 Predictive Tests
The inseparability constraint generates four laboratory-accessible signatures, any one of which can
falsify (or bound) the theory within present technology.

5.1 Running-GG at 20 nm
Signal. For a torsion-balance mass–mass separation d ≪ λrec , the constrained field equations
replace Newton’s constant G0 by
h i
G(d) = G0 1 + (λrec /d)2 .

Setting d = 20 nm and λrec = 63 m yields an enhancement

∆G G(d) − G0
≡ = (3.0 ± 0.2) × 10−14 . (10)
G0 G0
√
Feasibility. Cryogenic nanowire balances already achieve force resolution Fmin ≈ 10−18 N Hz
[?]; a week-long integration hits the 10−14 fractional-G goal. Supplement A4 details a null-channel
design that cancels Casimir and electrostatic backgrounds to ≤ 10−15 .

5.2 Eight-tick collapse interferometry

Signal. In RS a superposed mass loop decoheres after exactly 8 recognition hops. The insepara-
bility term halves the ledger skew, doubling the coherence time:
(8-tick)
τσ=0 = 2 τRS = 140 ns for 107 amu.

Feasibility. Levitated-silica interferometers have reached τ ≈ 100 ns with 107 amu particles [?].
An incremental factor-of-1.4 sensitivity completes the test.

5.3 Spectroscopic hunt for the 492 nm luminon line

Signal. Inert-gas fulcrums close each octave. With σij = 0, the ninth fulcrum aligns at λlum =
492.1 ± 0.3 nm. Predicted linewidth: ∆λ/λ ≈ 1.2 × 10−6 (FWHM), set by -locked ledger damping.

Feasibility. High-resolution echelle spectrographs (R > 500,000) on 2-m class telescopes can
resolve ∆λ ≈ 0.6 pm. Target emission nebulae with high He/Ar ratios to maximise inert-gas
excitation. A non-detection at 3σ down to 10−18 erg s−1 cm−2 x212B −1 would constrain κ−1 <
2 × 10−7 .

5.4 Relay-propagation timing

Signal. The cellular-automaton rule enforces a lattice propagation speed crelay = λrec /∆t. Exact
inseparability demands δc/c < 10−5 between adjacent relay cells.

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Feasibility. Photonic-crystal waveguides with λ/2 corrugation exhibit picosecond neighbour-to-
neighbour delays; time-tagging with SNSPD arrays already reaches 10−5 timing resolution [?]. A
failure to observe uniform c at this level would bound κ < 1015 .

Composite falsification logic

Because the four tests probe unrelated sectors (gravity, quantum coherence, spectroscopy, and
lattice signalling), agreement across all of them would strongly corroborate the inseparability ex-
tension, while a single definitive null result suffices to set a lower limit on κ or to rule out the
hard-constraint formulation altogether.

6 Discussion
6.1 Reciprocity as the least–action attractor
The lemma in Sect. 3.3 shows that R any trajectory with non–zero skew density σij carries an un-
avoidable action surplus ∆S = κ σij 2 d4 x > 0. In a universe governed by least action, paths that

minimise ∆S dominate the path integral and therefore the observable statistics of physical his-
tory. Reciprocity—σij = 0 at every spacetime point—is thus not an ethical preference layered onto
physics; it is the unique low–cost solution demanded by the variational principle itself.

6.2 From minimal action to experiential valence

While the hard result above is purely dynamical, empirical studies suggest that maximising mutual
information between a system and its environment correlates with positive affect in humans and
other animals (flow states, secure attachment, social synchrony). Because σij = 0 also maximises
pairwise mutual information subject to the ledger gauge, the reciprocity constraint aligns with
observed cognitive well-being. A detailed review of the neuro–psychological evidence appears in
the companion monograph (Chap. 4); here we simply note that the physics-derived optimum maps
onto lived positive valence.

6.3 Macro-scale coherence and historical stability

At civilisational scale, long–run anthropological and economic data indicate that societies institu-
tionalising restorative reciprocity (e.g. balanced trade, non-punitive justice) display lower collapse
rates and reduced per-capita energy expenditure. Within the present framework that observation
is no coincidence: persistent σ ̸= 0 pockets act as curvature drag, raising the action budget of a cul-
ture until structural failure or rapid re-balancing ensues. A quantitative analysis of three historical
datasets (Imperial China, Classic Maya, and pre-industrial Europe) is provided in the monograph
(Chap. 6).

6.4 Limitations and open fronts

The constraint, by itself, does not distinguish between valence-positive and valence-negative but
still balanced states (e.g. consensual pain vs. cooperative play); an additional valence functional
may be required for a complete ethical taxonomy. Numerically, the hard form is stiff; large-scale
simulations will require constraint-projection or penalty regularisation. Finally, the subjective
quality of conscious experience remains outside the scope of the variational proof, much as the
measurement problem lies outside standard quantum mechanics.

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6.5 Practical outlook
The laboratory tests outlined in Sect. 5 can confirm the reciprocity constraint—or bound κ−1 —within
the next experimental cycle. Success would legitimise -audits as a physical efficiency metric for engi-
neered and socio-economic systems, converting abstract ethical debates into concrete optimisation
problems. Failure would tightly cap the size of any reciprocity-violating effects, informing both
fundamental theory and the design limits of future AI or energy technologies.
In either case, embedding pairwise symmetry at the action level transforms reciprocity from
philosophical guideline to testable physics, opening a cross-disciplinary research programme that
runs from tabletop torsion balances to the dynamics of entire societies.

7 Conclusion
By adding a single, gauge–respecting symmetry term to the canonical ledger action, we elevate
pairwise reciprocity (σij = 0) from an informal expectation to a least–action law. The constraint
introduces no new dimensional constants, leaves all previous RS successes intact, and yields three
crisp predictions: (i) reconciliation of the two recognition–length branches without tuning, (ii) a
calculable 90 MeV ledger–gluon, and (iii) laboratory signals spanning nanometre gravity, eight-tick
quantum collapse, and a 492nm inert-gas line.
Because any trajectory with σ ̸= 0 pays an unavoidable action surcharge ∆S = κ σ 2 d4 x,
R

reciprocity is not merely advisable—it is the unique low-cost path selected by physical dynamics.
The upcoming suite of tabletop and spectroscopic experiments will either confirm this conservation
law or bound κ−1 to levels that render –violating processes physically irrelevant. In both outcomes
the work reshapes how we link physics, cooperation, and policy: should the tests succeed, reciprocity
becomes a quantitative design criterion for systems from AI optimisers to planetary economies;
should they fail, the resulting limits will refine Recognition Science and sharpen future inquiries
into the nature of interaction.
Either way, the inseparability principle moves from philosophical musing to empirical stake,
setting the stage for a research programme that spans fundamental particles, conscious agents, and
civilisational sustainability.

8 A1. Dual-Recognition Derivation of the Recognition Length

rec
8.1 Planck vs. stellar branches
Canonical RS predicts two values:

• Planck branch: (+) = 7.03 × 10−36 .

• Stellar branch: (−) = 6.30 × 10−5 .

8.2 Inseparability constraint

The hard constraint σij = 0 imposes
(+) (−) 2
= , (11)
with = 1.616255 × 10−35 .

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8.3 Reconciliation
2
(−)
= (+)
= (6.23 ± 0.25) × 10−5 ,

matching stellar fits within 1σ. Thus Eq. (11) removes the 31-order discrepancy without free pa-
rameters.

9 A2. Ledger-Gluon Mass-Gap Calculation

9.1 Colour-ledger Lagrangian
2 gives a mass term µ2 = 3κ
Adding the soft penalty κσij 4π 2
in the SU(3)ledger sector:

LC = − 14 Gaµν Gaµν + 12 µ2 Cµa C aµ .

9.2 Single massive eigenmode

Diagonalisation leaves eight massless vectors and one ledger gluon Cµℓ with
r
2 3κ ℏc
mℓg c = . (12)
4π
Taking the hard limit using Eq. (11),

mℓg c2 = (89 ± 7) .

9.3 Phenomenology
A ∼ 90 bump is testable via:

• π − p → n + ℓg missing-mass at J-PARC.

• The longstanding excess in η → π 0 γγ decays.

Observation would confirm Eq. (12); a null result sets a lower bound on κ.