The Relational Zero State (RZS) Axiom: Pre-Geometric Foundations of Systemic Stability and Gradient Flow Dynamics

This paper formalizes the Relational Zero State (RZS) Law as a fundamental, pre-geometric organizational principle governing the stability of complex systems across scales. We propose that systemic stability is an emergent property defined by the inverse ratio of informational noise and response latency. Within this framework, spacetime is not a background manifold but a derivative of a "Relational Update Rate," where the universal constant c represents the network's maximum refresh frequency. We identify the scaling exponent alpha approx 1.5 as the universal attractor for relational saturation, consistent with recent JWST observations of high-redshift galaxy populations. The RZS framework is applied to unify cosmological emergence, biological homeostasis, and the critical failure of macro-scale information networks.