_The ontological stance — how the world is understood._ **Interbeing and Mutual Interdependence** Open civics fundamentally rejects the atomistic, individualistic ontology of current civilization. Instead, it posits that reality is characterized by radical interdependence - that individual wellbeing is inseparable from collective and ecological wellbeing. This isn't just a moral position but an ontological claim about the nature of existence itself. Care and empathy, in this context, become an expression of rational self-interest. **Civilization as Emergent Collective Agreement** Open civics views civilization not as a fixed structure but as a continuously reproduced set of collective agreements about how to organize society. These agreements shape our infrastructures, incentives, and institutions, which in turn shape what behaviors and outcomes are possible. To honor the consent of the governed, open civics sees participatory design ethics as intrinsic to the implementation of healthy systems of governance and coordination. **Living Systems Principles as Fundamental** Open civics claims that human systems should align with the patterns found in living systems - including stigmergy (indirect coordination through environmental traces), polycentricity (nested autonomous wholes), and evolutionary adaptation. This suggests an ontology where human civilization is understood as part of, not separate from, natural systems. Designing social systems using living systems principles compels us to design for reproducible civic protocols or social DNA that can evolve organically through participation.