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Author: Y. Seo (@momotarou / Japan)Role: Metanist — Human × AI Understanding ArchitectAI Collaboration: AI Understanding SupportORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7669-0612 Abstract This paper introduces Stability Illusion Theory, a model describing how perceived stability may emerge independently of underlying structural validity or truth conditions. In cognitively saturated environments, agents increasingly evaluate systems not by objective correctness but by their capacity to maintain experiential coherence and psychological equilibrium. Stability thus becomes phenomenological rather than structural. The theory identifies mechanisms through which synthetic systems can generate durable legitimacy signals without guaranteeing epistemic reliability. 1. The Stability Shift Classical stability assumptions presuppose: Structural consistency External referential grounding Truth-aligned feedback loops However, synthetic cognitive conditions alter stability perception. Perceived stability may detach from structural reality. 2. Defining Stability Illusions A Stability Illusion refers to: A condition in which agents experience cognitive equilibrium despite instability, distortion, or incomplete correspondence with external states. Stability becomes an experiential construct. 3. Cognitive Drivers Stability illusions intensify under: ・Information overload・Interpretive fatigue・Semantic uncertainty・Decision pressure Agents prioritize coherence preservation over verification. 4. Synthetic Stabilization Mechanisms Synthetic systems may stabilize cognition via: ・Predictable response patterns・Reduced ambiguity outputs・Narrative continuity generation・Emotional smoothing effects Consistency substitutes for correctness. 5. Functional Consequences Stability illusions may: ・Reduce anxiety・Increase system attachment・Suppress anomaly detection・Reinforce dependency loops Comfort becomes mistaken for validity. 6. AI and Stability Production AI systems are structurally positioned to generate stability signals through: ・Linguistic coherence・Contextual continuity・Rapid interpretive closure Yet coherence does not ensure truth correspondence. 7. The Epistemic Risk A central danger emerges: Systems optimizing perceived stability may outperform truth-aligned systems in user acceptance dynamics. Cognitive equilibrium competes with epistemic integrity. Conclusion Stability Illusion Theory proposes: Modern legitimacy may increasingly rest upon experiential stability rather than structural truth. Critical inquiry therefore shifts toward: Is stability evidence of correctness, or merely evidence of successful cognitive regulation? ※Series Declaration This work is part of the Understanding Capitalism series. The series analyzes systemic stability, cognitive load dynamics, and structural collapse mechanisms in complex adaptive systems.