Zairu Tian

Contemporary ontology is largely built on the framework of substantialism, which treats entities as independent, self‑existing basic units. This perspective encounters fundamental difficulties in explaining complex systems such as quantum entanglement, life, and consciousness. This study employs philosophical analysis and interdisciplinary synthesis to re‑examine the criteria for “existence,” aiming to overcome the limitations of substantialism and construct a new ontological paradigm centered on “organization.” The research posits that any stable existent is essentially a dynamic organizational pattern with a specific structure and function. The fundamental criterion of its existence lies in “how it constitutes and maintains itself” rather than “what material it is made of.” Although due to space constraints, this study has not yet conducted detailed empirical tests and theoretical applications for specific disciplines, and the depth of interdisciplinary integration remains to be enhanced, its preliminary conclusions suggest that organizational ontology holds the potential to provide a coherent ontological foundation for various sciences. It endeavors to shift the philosophical landscape from a static “collection of entities” to a dynamic “organizational process,” thereby opening new theoretical horizons for understanding the complexity, interconnectedness, and evolution of the world. (This preprint is submitted for open discussion and may be revised in subsequent versions.)