Timing, Leakage, and Non‑Instrumental Normativity: A Naturalistic Reconstruction of Responsible Suspension

Abstract This paper presents a fully agentless theory of responsible suspension for multi‑layer unstable systems. It provides (i) an operationalizable definition of leakage (Λ) in terms of entropy gradients, Kullback–Leibler divergence, and cross‑correlation delays; (ii) a derivation of the threshold θ as a bifurcation point arising from physical and informational constraints, with no hidden agency; (iii) a non‑instrumental account of normativity grounded in structural identity preservation under irreversible uncertainty – a form of naturalized normativity analogous to biological function; and (iv) a redefinition of responsibility as transition attributability rather than moral accountability. The theory passes the standard objections that sink previous formulations, and it offers a coherent framework for understanding judgment without a judging subject.