HoTT-RO v2 A Mathematical Instrument for Relational Ontology

A self-contained presentation of HoTT-RO v2, a formal system built for the relational ontology proposed in The Self-Experiencing Universe (Lis, 2025). The system consists of Homotopy Type Theory (MLTT + Univalence Axiom) extended by a single new axiom: the Axiom of Flat Mutuality (AFM), which guarantees that mutual specification between types is symmetric across the universe hierarchy. The document presents the system from the ground up: primitive objects (inherited from HoTT), the two axioms, rules of inference (no new rules added), and twelve derived definitions — including Relational Configuration, Configuration Space, Integration Threshold Region, Depth, Proto-Phenomenal Capacity, Integrated Perspective, Radical Contextuality as descent condition, Canonical Layering, and the Vector Consciousness Prediction (VCP). The complete deductive chain is traced in nine steps: from ontological premises through formalization to a falsifiable empirical prediction (Sepia officinalis metacognitive opt-out rate ≈ 0.836). A formalizability map identifies what the system can and cannot capture — including the inherent limit that Relational Potential, as the pre-categorical condition of possibility, cannot be formalized in any formal language without regress. The document also evaluates potential applications beyond the original project (relational quantum mechanics, developmental biology, distributed systems) and provides an honest assessment of the system's limitations, including the partial status of Mutual Specification and the fact that HoTT still starts from types rather than relations. HoTT-RO v2 represents the best available formal instrument for this ontology at the time of writing. AI tools (Claude, Anthropic) were used in the analytical process; this is stated.