Isn't the temporal threshold, T0​, just another arbitrary postulate?

No, T0​ is not a new constant of nature.

Instead, it is a derived, stochastic quantity that emerges from a more fundamental physical process.

What T0​ represents: T0​ is the first-passage time the random waiting time until a spontaneous, stochastic "collapse" event occurs.

What governs T0​: Its statistics are determined by an underlying hazard rate (α or λhit​), which represents the probability per unit of proper time that a collapse event will happen.

What governs the hazard rate: This hazard rate is proposed to be determined by the underlying physics, such as the dynamics of a relativistic CSL model and the local properties of spacetime geometry.

The mean value of this waiting time, ⟨T0​⟩=1/α, is a system-dependent property that can be experimentally measured and, in principle, calculated from first principles, therefore being not a new, universal constant that must be assumed.

There seem to be several new theories about collapse (EDFPM, Greenleaf's TBCT, Frank's QTI). How are they related, and which one is right?

This is a very exciting time in quantum foundations precisely because multiple, new, testable theories are emerging simultaneously. While they differ in their proposed mechanisms, they all share a revolutionary core principle: they treat the quantum to classical transition as a physical, time dependent process that can be experimentally tested.

Here’s how they differ:

The EDFPM (our model) attributes collapse to a spontaneous, stochastic first passage event that is intrinsic to a system's evolution in proper time. Its key prediction is a non zero paired shot covariance.

Greenleaf's TBCT ("Relational Collapse") attributes the change in collapse rates to the detector's finite time resolution (τ). Its key prediction is that the collapse rate scales linearly with 1/τ.

Frank's QTI ("Tlalpan Interpretation") models collapse as a phase transition caused by a spontaneous breaking of time symmetry. Its key prediction is a sharp, threshold-like disappearance of interference.

So, which one is right?

We don't know yet, and that is what makes this field so compelling.

These are not mutually exclusive philosophies; they are competing scientific hypotheses with different falsifiable predictions.

Experiments will be the ultimate arbiter. It is also possible that the final, correct theory will be a synthesis that incorporates elements from each.

Your papers mention Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG). Is this a theory of quantum gravity?

No, the Event Driven First Passage Model (EDFPM) is not a theory of quantum gravity. It is a phenomenological model of the quantum to classical transition that is designed to be testable with current or near term technology.

We reference Loop Quantum Gravity for a specific, motivational reason.

A Physical Motivation for Discreteness: Theories like LQG suggest that spacetime itself may not be a smooth, continuous background at the smallest scales. Instead, it may be fundamentally discrete or "granular," composed of indivisible units.

An Arena for Events: This idea of a fundamental discreteness in nature provides a plausible physical origin for the core concept of our model: that reality unfolds through a series of discrete "events" rather than a continuous flow. We use LQG "cautiously" to motivate the idea of a "discrete arena" where the first passage events of our model can occur.

Crucially, the mathematical and predictive core of the EDFPM does not depend on the specific dynamics of LQG. The key predictions the visibility plateau and the paired-shot covariance are derived from the principles of first passage statistics and relativistic CSL.

What is 'FPISBS' and how does it relate to the 'ansatz worksheet' mentioned in the research timeline?

FPISBS stands for "Finite Path Integrals on Stochastic Branched Structures." This represents the deep, underlying mathematical structure of the theory.

The "Bridge Model" mentioned in the papers, connects this deep structure to the EDFPM by proposing that the first passage event (T0​) is the moment the system's evolution "collapses" or localizes onto a single, classical branch within this larger structure.

So, FPISBS is the fundamental "map" of all possibilities, while the EDFPM describes the measurable event of choosing one path.

The Ansatz Worksheet is a practical guide that shows you how to start deriving the Shannon entropy from FPISBS directly to the exponential rate of the EDFPM, while also incorporating Gaussian wave packets and relativistic CSL to resolve what happens after transition into classical.