Persistence in Phase Space: A Unified Framework for Information–Action Coupling Across Biological, Digital, and Social Systems

Persistent systems are commonly classified using domain-specific criteria: stars by hydrostatic balance, organisms by metabolism and replication, software by execution, and cultural systems by transmission. This work proposes a cross-domain comparative framework, the PIW–CWG Persistence Phase Space, in which systems are characterized by normalized measures of constraint closure and active disequilibrium. A third dependency dimension is represented through a coupling vector governed by normalized mutual information between executable system instructions and measurable environmental response. The framework separates persistent states, transient processes, forbidden transitions, and dependency-mediated effects using a common geometric representation. An Effective Executable Information Index (EIIₑff) is introduced to combine intrinsic executable information with coupling, interaction density, and bounded throughput scaling. Synthetic validation examples involving biological viruses, software exploits, and cultural memes suggest that latent information becomes operational only when coupled to a compatible execution pathway. The framework does not attempt to redefine life or consciousness, but instead provides a measurable comparative language for analyzing persistence strategies across physical, biological, technological, and social systems. The principal contribution of this work is methodological: a reproducible protocol for comparing information–action coupling regimes across otherwise disconnected domains.