Canonical ≠ unquestionable
Canon is the current shared reference layer: stable definitions, architecture, governance rules and accepted decisions. It can change through explicit revision and provenance; it is not a claim of infallibility.
Core distinctions
- Canon: adopted system knowledge or decisions.
- Hypothesis: proposition awaiting sufficient validation.
- Experiment: a procedure and its observations.
- Interpretation: meaning inferred from evidence or experience.
- Archive: preserved material that may not represent current doctrine.
Root principle
Build the epistemic spine before advanced autonomy: preserve provenance, uncertainty, governance and inspectability as the system grows.