Introducing Difference: from Euclidean Space to Geological Limits

The Lithotectonic Framework (LTF) provides a systematic approach to describing regional geology in terms of geological history. While LTF has been applied to vocabulary development and regional geological description, its theoretical foundations have remained undocumented. This paper introduces the Spatio-Temporal Framework (STF), which extends Euclidean geometry by adding 'difference' as a primitive notion alongside space and time. This enables defining 'event' without circularity, from which lithotectonic limits and units can be formally derived. The five LTF axioms then establish operational relationships between these concepts. STF thus provides LTF with a formal foundation analogous to how Euclidean definitions underpin geometric reasoning.