The Relational Zero State Hypothesis (RZS): Gradient Flow Dynamics and the Emergence of Spacetime Geometry

This paper proposes an ontological extension to the ΛCDM model, addressing the initial singularity through the Relational Zero State (RZS). Postulated as a pre-geometric scalar field of pure potentiality, we demonstrate that spacetime is an emergent property of a vacuum relaxation process. We substitute classical temporal evolution with Gradient Flow dynamics parameterized by relational complexity (σ). The model recovers General Relativity in the macroscopic limit and reinterprets the speed of light as the system's causal update rate.Version 3.0.0 is the definitive foundational manuscript. This update corrects document metadata and clarifies the work's status as original independent research. The theoretical priority is maintained from the original registration date of DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17756069