Adaptive Information Systems Theory (AIST): A Physical Framework for Adaptation, Emergence, and Autonomy

Adaptation, emergence, autonomy, and resilience are pervasive features of complex systems, yet they are typically studied within fragmented, domain-specific frameworks. This paper introduces Adaptive Information Systems Theory (AIST), a general theory that unifies these phenomena by treating information as physically instantiated and adaptation as the constraint-mediated reconfiguration of information flows. Within AIST, logic is realised through physical constraints on state transitions, emergence corresponds to the stabilisation of information flow patterns over time, and autonomy arises when adaptive reconfiguration closes under feedback, allowing systems to maintain and modify their own governing constraints.