Cognitive Wave–Time Theory: An Architectural Framework for Coherence-Regulated Reality

This paper introduces Cognitive Wave–Time Theory (CWTT), a framework in which time is not treated as a fundamental variable, but as an emergent phenomenon arising from coherence dynamics in interacting systems. Rather than relying on time-indexed evolution, CWTT proposes that stability, causality, and continuity emerge from the regulation of coherence under bounded instability. The theory reframes observation as participation, and information as an active structural component. The framework integrates ideas from nonlinear dynamics, information theory, and cognitive systems, providing a time-free structural perspective applicable across physical, biological, and artificial domains. The paper presents:- conceptual foundations of coherence-regulated dynamics- a diagrammatic architecture for observer-participatory systems- formal extensions toward regulation-based stability- testable implications for complex systems CWTT is intended as a foundational framework, offering structural clarity and a new lens for understanding time-like behavior without assuming time as a primitive dimension.