Foundations of Relational Cognition: Ontology, Dynamics, and Phenomenology

We propose a minimalist, formalized framework for cognition that rejects premature psychological metaphors in favor of rigorous topological and information-theoretic principles. We establish a "Golden Rule" of ontology, postulate a Relational Dynamics model (Iflow ≤ Cmax), and demonstrate how "mental states" emerge as topological regimes (eigenvalues of the network Laplacian). Finally, we resolve the "Hard Problem" by defining consciousness as a Global Structured Integration state and provide concrete falsifiability criteria ("Kill Switches") to ensure scientific rigor. The field of cognitive science has long been plagued by a "metaphorical contamination." Models are built on ill-defined concepts like "workspace," "feeling," or "processing" without grounding them in physical quantities. We present a corrective foundation: Relational Cognition. Core Postulates: I. The Ontological Foundation: No concept is postulated unless it can be translated into a variable or mathematical structure. Minimal ontology: Node, Edge, State, Discrete Time. II. Mathematical Saturation: Cognition is driven by the inequality Iflow(t) ≤ Cmax. Attention is a thermodynamic necessity to prevent thermal collapse. III. Topology Before Psychology: "Mental states" are Topological Regimes. Anxiety is high local recurrence; Insight is symmetry breaking. IV. The Spectral Language: Subjective experience (Qualia) corresponds to the spectral distribution of network activity (eigenvalues of the Laplacian). V. Emergence of Consciousness: Consciousness is a "Sweet Spot" of high differentiation and high integration (Global Structured Integration). VI. Cognitive Holography: Subjective 3D space-time is a low-dimensional projection of an N-dimensional neural state. VII. Falsifiability: Specific criteria are defined (e.g., Spectral Dissociation Test) to ensure the theory is testable and scientific.