Beyond Quantization: Persistence Theory as a Meta-Unifying Framework for Physical and Informational Structure

Efforts to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity have produced an array of mathematically sophisticated but ontologically fragmented theories — from string theory and loop quantum gravity to holographic duality and emergent gravity. Each attempts to bridge two incompatible regimes with new assumptions or higher-dimensional constructs. This paper introduces Persistence Theory as a meta-unifying framework grounded in thermodynamics and information theory. By modeling structure as entropy-filtered reversible information, the Persistence Equation provides a universal selection principle for stability across quantum, relativistic, cognitive, and biological domains. Unlike other theories, Persistence Theory requires no additional dimensions, no specific field quantizations, and no geometry-first assumptions. We argue that it satisfies Occam’s Razor more effectively than competing models: it explains more with less. When expressed in its mutual information form, the Persistence Equation also offers deep insights into cognition, communication, and knowledge retention — expanding its reach to epistemology and AI interpretability.