Active Pruning Controls Boundary Persistence in Protocell-like Systems: A Finite-Distinction Bridge to Artificial Life

Yining Wu · 2026-05-15

Life-sciences bridge for Active Finite Distinction Systems. Models protocell-like persistence as a boundary-maintained active-pruning dynamical system: growth, residue accumulation, pruning, maintenance-attractor loss, and saddle-node collapse. Treats life and death as attractor transitions in a maintenance-cost landscape rather than as vitalist or emergent-property claims. The boundary is maintained only while the active pruning rate exceeds the residue accumulation rate; when the deficit crosses a threshold, the system exits into collapse, stasis, or externalization.

@misc{wu2026fdsl1,
  author = {Yining Wu},
  title = {Active Pruning Controls Boundary Persistence in Protocell-like Systems: A Finite-Distinction Bridge to Artificial Life},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.5281/zenodo.20302171},
}