Abstract

We present a novel ontological formulation of quantum field theory in which fields, particles, and even spacetime itself emerge from a fundamental tension of ontological difference, denoted ∇U. This field is not embedded within space and time—it generates them by differentiating between mutually exclusive possibilities: to be (+A) and not to be (–A₀). The act of separation is governed by the impulse moment—a trans-spatiotemporal event that establishes the condition for stabilized form. On this foundation, we construct a ∇U-based quantum field theory and extend it to a string ontology, where strings are interpreted as seams—boundaries between impulse moments—within the ∇U-field. We discuss the physical predictions, conceptual consequences, and the framework’s ability to unify gravity, quantum theory, and emergent spacetime under a single ontological principle.