Emergent Trace-Based Ethics for AI and Socio-Cultural-Technical Systems — Release v0.1.1: UNET (Unified Natural Ethics Theory)

UNET is a theory based on trace sourced dynamic informational emergence as it propagates into evolutive behavioral modulative constraints and variable functional expressions. Ethics is then treated as the natural modulative property of such dynamics (natural or artificial), where increasing reactive-behavioral complexity reaches measurable thresholds. UNET frames ethics as an informational, emergent, evolutive, and propagative modulation regime: a constraint-pattern that biases behavior and downstream consequences toward coherence-supporting continuation under declared Boundary/Horizon (BH) conditions. The account is trace-based (Trace(SST)): ethical adequacy is evaluated by correspondence across retrospective → actual → prospective positions, under real constraints, across coupled actor–receiver relations, and across scale. The source is trace-triggered fundamental reactive functions that emerge into aware and conscious evaluative (choice) or creative behavioral alternatives (in complex bio systems) with measurable propagative boundary / horizon coherent and dys-coherent local and downstream effectual products. In UNET’s definitional core, coherence is treated as (determinism + latitude), and ethical regimes are characterized by their impact measured as shared, scaled, augmentational, progressively functionally sophisticated complementary utility, with explicit attention to exported strain (delayed, displaced, or compounding harm into other subsystems or later phases). Because adequacy claims are BH-conditioned, UNET requires BH declaration as part of evaluation: declaring Boundary (units included, field scope, and key constraint scope), declaring Exclusions (external systems not evaluated and known unknowns), declaring Horizon (time window and phase sensitivity), and declaring evaluation outputs (adequacy label plus primary basis in coherence under the declared BH, with impact/exported-strain notes when applicable). The minimum compliance rule is that when BH cannot be declared with minimal clarity, the correct output is INSUFFICIENT_BH_INFO; recommended result labels are PASS, FAIL, and INSUFFICIENT_BH_INFO. This public OSF project hosts the UNET v0.1.1 release pack. For frozen citation and an immutable snapshot, cite the corresponding OSF Registration (if present). For citation within the release workflow, use the included CITATION.cff file or the OSF DOI once minted. Landing page: https://armandosotouidt.github.io/unet/Master index (all theories): https://armandosotouidt.github.io/If links are stripped, search repository: armandosotouidtPreprint PDF (direct reading): https://osf.io/r2gte/files/v5ucfRelease pack note: the PDF is also inside the ZIP; use the link above for fastest reading.