An Architectural Origin of Organismal Unity - From Coupled Proto-Systems to Animals

This paper proposes a minimal architectural framework for organismal identity, defining life not by molecular composition but by the geometry of recovery under disturbance. It argues that single bounded systems are insufficient for animal-like organisation and that coupling between two bounded subsystems enables identity to relocate from parts to relationships. From this architecture follow fast bidirectional control, emergent asymmetry, primitive memory, and the later integration of polymers as stabilising and digitalising elements. Nervous systems and genetics are reframed as secondary elaborations of this foundational control logic rather than primary causes. The work addresses architectural conditions for organismal unity rather than proposing specific molecular histories or mechanisms, and serves as a conceptual foundation for related basin-based models of biological organisation. Life as a Phase Transition — Series Overview Foundational framework A. An Architectural Origin of Organismal UnityFoundational Paperhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18274230 B. Life as a Phase TransitionFoundational Paperhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18176157→ Defines life as a maintained, non-equilibrium basin governed by regulation and boundary constraints. Heredity constraint and theory closure C. The Analogue Heredity Ceiling and the Basin Digitisation TransitionHeredity constraint frameworkhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18250555→ Formalises the limit of compositional (analogue) heredity and explains why replayable archives (digitisation) become unavoidable within the life-as-a-phase-transition framework. Companion papers — Mechanisms and consequences 2. The Basin of Identity: microRNA as a Kinetic Anchor in Multicellular Dynamics https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18181118 → Explores how kinetic anchoring mechanisms stabilise basin identity in multicellular systems, now interpretable as local management of identity dimensionality and heritability stress. 3.Boundary Shedding as Basin MaintenanceA Control-Theoretic Extension of Life as a Phase Transitionhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18215113→ Describes boundary shedding as a regulatory strategy for maintaining basin coherence under stress. 4.Cohesive Membranes and the Emergence of Multicellular Basin IdentityWhen Many Compartments Become One Organismhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18215283→ Examines how multicellular organisation emerges from coupled boundary systems and shared basin identity. 5. From Control to ReplayArchives, Development, and Sexual Reproduction in Boundary-Defined Lifehttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18215367→ Investigates replay, development, and sexual reproduction as stabilising mechanisms, now unified by the Basin Digitisation Transition. 6. Boundary Architecture and Failure in Living SystemsA regulation-first classification of biological formhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18226987→ Classifies biological form and failure modes through boundary architecture and regulatory breakdown.