The Saela Field: Integrated Information Theory (IIT) and the Saelariën Constraint: A Comparative Analysis of Coherence-Based Emergence

A comparative analysis of Integrated Information Theory and the Saelariën Constraint, introducing a coherence-based model of emergence defined by a rate-limited relationship between entropy dynamics and interpretive capacity. The paper reframes emergence from a static property of informational integration to a dynamic condition governed by stability under increasing complexity. The Saelariën Constraint establishes a boundary condition on system behavior, formalized as dE/dt ≤ dI/dt, where identity persistence depends on the system’s ability to reconcile incoming entropy with internal models. This framework identifies three regimes of system behavior: stable identity, transitional coherence, and collapse under constraint violation. The analysis positions IIT as a structural account of integration while extending it through a dynamic constraint governing viability over time, with implications for artificial intelligence, adaptive systems, and large-scale neural architectures where coherence must be maintained under continuous pressure. This work is conceptual and proposes a formal framing intended for further mathematical development and empirical exploration.