Possibility Structure Theory: A Minimal Metatheory for Comparing and Connecting Philosophical Domains

Theories of agency, institutions, value, and history have developed within their respective domains, yet a common framework for comparing, connecting, and evaluating them across domains remains lacking. This paper proposes Possibility Structure Theory and introduces the formal model M = (X,H,Φ,V,U), as a minimal metatheory for bridging this theoretical fragmentation. X denotes the state space, H the generative and transitional structure, Φ the constraint structure that determines effective reachability, V the value structure of states and pathways, and U the capacity for structural reconfiguration that transforms the underlying framework itself. Through conceptual analysis, formal reconstruction, and comparative theoretical inquiry, the paper offers a unified framework for describing freedom, institutions, agency, and historical change, and repositions existing theories not as mutually exclusive doctrines but as partial theories with different analytical focal points. Through case analyses of educational inequality and AI governance, it further shows that the model functions as a diagnostic framework for analyzing opportunity distribution, the reproduction of inequality, institutional design, technological governance, and value conflict. The contribution of this study lies not in substantively unifying philosophical theories, but in providing a common platform for their comparison, translation, and application, thereby reorganizing a fragmented theoretical landscape.