The Law of Alignment: A Domain-Independent Viability Constraint

Scientific laws describe system behavior but remain structurally indifferent to persistence. Collapse frequently occurs without violation of governing equations. This paper proposes the Law of Alignment as a domain-independent viability constraint governing structured, capacity-limited systems. The Law formalizes a stock–flow condition in which net change must remain proportionally coupled to integrative capacity in order for persistence to remain viable. A deviation metric and normalized alignment index are introduced to quantify structural imbalance relative to capacity-adjusted baselines. Formal boundedness analysis demonstrates that sustained nonzero deviation generates unbounded trajectories in finite-capacity systems. A stochastic generalization shows that persistent drift increases boundary-breach probability toward certainty over sufficient time. Explicit falsifiability criteria and cross-domain operational definitions are specified. The Law of Alignment does not replace domain-specific laws; it defines the structural condition under which lawful dynamics remain compatible with sustained coherence. Empirical validation across independent domains is proposed as the next stage of evaluation.