Axiomatic Theory of Tragic Subjecthood (ATTS): The Ontological Foundation of Moral Systems. Article 1

This paper presents the Axiomatic Theory of Tragic Subjecthood (ATTS) as the ontological foundation of moral systems. Unlike normative ethical theories, ATTS establishes the minimal structural conditions under which morality remains conceptually coherent. The central claim: moral existence presupposes a subject capable of irreversible loss. Where loss is impossible, the moral dimension cannot arise. The theory is built on the principle of primitive minimization. Four ontological primitives are introduced — Subject, Loss, Irreversibility, and Integrity — together with one derived concept — Responsibility, derived through axioms A1, A4, A6. From these, ten axioms (A1–A10) and seven structural principles (S1–S7) are derived. ATTS makes three central claims. First, subjecthood is defined not by intelligence but by the capacity for irreversible loss (A1). Second, responsibility cannot be fully delegated as long as the subject remains capable of loss (A7). Third, any system that eliminates the tragic dimension of choice operates on a reduced model of reality from which irreversibility and value conflict have been excluded (A6). These claims have direct implications for AI governance, institutional design, and the theory of moral responsibility in sociotechnical systems. ATTS does not prescribe moral behaviour. It delineates the structural conditions under which moral reasoning retains its meaning.