Kernel Protocol · object specification
Reflection
The kernel's reading of its own judgment: where the reasoning held, where it drifted, and why.
Judgment protocol · lifecycle
kernel/v1.2- 01Snapshot
- 02Investigation
- 03Recommendation
- 04Outcome
- 05Reflection
- 06Pattern
- 07Candidate Principle
- 08Constitution
- loopFuture Recommendation
↺ Constitution constrains every future recommendation. The pipeline is a closed loop, not a line.
§1 Versioning
Supersedable
Understanding of a past mistake deepens over time. A later reflection supersedes an earlier one without erasing the original interpretation.
§2 Allowed operations
- CreateWritten against a closed outcome or a benchmark disagreement.
- ReviseCorrect wording or classification before it is cited.
- SupersedeReplace with a deeper reading once more evidence exists.
§3 Forbidden operations
- DeleteRemoving a reflection hides a known failure mode.
- Revise after citationOnce cited by a pattern, only supersession is available.
- Self-approveA reflection may propose, never ratify.
§4 Relationship types
Reflection interprets → Outcome
Explains why the result diverged or matched.
Reflection strengthens → Pattern
Adds one classified occurrence.
Reflection challenges → Candidate Principle
Attaches contradicting evidence to a proposal.
§5 Lifecycle events
Drafted
Failure type and root cause proposed.
Classified
Mapped to a pattern key.
Cited
Referenced by a pattern or principle; frozen.
Superseded
A deeper reading is current.
Archived
Retained for audit.
§6 State machine
initial: Drafted · terminal: Archived
| From | To | Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Drafted | → Classified | failure category and root cause set |
| Classified | → Drafted | revised before any citation |
| Classified | → Cited | referenced by a pattern or principle |
| Cited | → Superseded | deeper reading published |
| Superseded | → Archived | retained for audit |
Forbidden transitions
- Cited ⇸ DraftedOnce cited, only supersession is available.
- Drafted ⇸ CitedAn unclassified reflection is not citable evidence.
§7 Lineage
Ancestry — what must exist before this object
- Outcomeobliges → Reflection
transitive: Outcome ← Recommendation ← Snapshot ← Investigation ← Constitution ← Candidate Principle ← Pattern
Descendants — what this object can produce
- Reflection classifies into →Pattern
- Reflection challenges →Candidate Principle
transitive: Pattern → Candidate Principle → Constitution → Recommendation → Outcome
§8 Invariants
- A reflection names a failure category and a root cause, or it stays Drafted.
- A reflection never changes an engine rule on its own.
Global constraints binding this object
GI-02
∀ o ∈ Outcome : closed(o) ⇒ |reflections(o)| ≥ 1Every closed outcome generates at least one reflection.
GI-08
∀ x ∈ Kernel : cites(x) ⊆ published(before(x))No object may cite evidence created after its own publication.