Relatedness Theory：An Exploration from Ontological Foundations to a Unified Framework of Existence

This work, Relatedness Theory, presents a comprehensive philosophical system proposing a fundamental ontological turn. It argues that "relations," not "entities," constitute the primary basis of all reality, challenging the substance-based worldview that has dominated thought from ancient philosophy to modern science. The theory posits that existence is not a static state but a dynamic process, where observable phenomena emerge as temporary, stable patterns within an infinite web of relations, constantly driven by an inherent paradox between the need for stability and the intrinsic pressure for evolution. This framework offers novel resolutions to timeless philosophical questions. It reinterprets the ultimate nature of existence ("What is it, and why is there something rather than nothing?"), not as a mystery of creation from a void, but as the inevitable, self-organizing outcome of a universe of infinite potentiality governed by relational logic. Classic paradoxes, such as the Ship of Theseus, are dissolved by demonstrating that identity is not an intrinsic property but a relative assessment, contingent upon the chosen frame of reference—be it material substance or the continuity of form and purpose. Most profoundly, the theory provides a new answer to the question "Who am I?". It defines the self not as a fixed, internal entity (a "ghost in the machine"), but as a complex, multi-layered relational system. This system's sense of identity and subjective reality is actively and ceaselessly constructed by its own core self-referential framework, which acts as the center of its own experiential world. Ultimately, Relatedness Theory invites a fundamental shift in perspective: from seeing the universe as a collection of things to understanding it as a ceaseless, self-organizing, and profoundly interconnected process of becoming.