Kernel Protocol · object specification

Investigation

One bounded act of reasoning over a timeline. It states what was examined, what was concluded, and on what evidence.

Judgment protocol · lifecycle

kernel/v1.2

↺ Constitution constrains every future recommendation. The pipeline is a closed loop, not a line.

Supersedable

Reasoning improves. A better investigation replaces an earlier one by superseding it, leaving the earlier chain readable.

Investigation reads → Snapshot
Consumes readings as its only factual input.
Investigation supports → Pattern
Contributes one occurrence toward a recurring behaviour.
Investigation produces → Recommendation
May emit at most one active recommendation.
Investigation supersedes → Investigation
Replaces an earlier reading of the same question.

initial: Opened · terminal: Archived

From	To	Trigger
Opened	→ Reasoned	conclusion and evidence attached
Reasoned	→ Published	citations frozen
Published	→ Superseded	successor investigation published
Published	→ Archived	closed without successor
Superseded	→ Archived	retained for audit

Forbidden transitions

Ancestry — what must exist before this object

transitive: Snapshot

Descendants — what this object can produce

transitive: Recommendation → Pattern → Outcome → Candidate Principle → Reflection → Constitution

Global constraints binding this object

GI-03∀ i ∈ Investigation : |metrics(conclusion(i))| ≥ 2
Every published conclusion connects at least two metrics.
GI-08∀ x ∈ Kernel : cites(x) ⊆ published(before(x))
No object may cite evidence created after its own publication.