Mind · Reasoning
Termdrift
Track a key term's meaning through an explanation, and flag where the meaning shifts
Definition
Mechanism
In an explanation, argument or plan, each key term's meaning at first use is recorded, and later uses are checked against it, each use being an Interpretation in its own context. Where the meaning shifts, the shift is flagged and either made explicit or the term is split into two.
Invariants
- Each key term's first meaning is recorded.
- A later use with a different meaning is flagged and either made explicit or given a separate term.
Risks
Failure modes
Equivocation
a conclusion depends on a term meaning one thing in a premise and another in the conclusion.
Term freeze
legitimate refinement of a term is blocked as drift.
Relationships
Builds on
References
Deriving semantic meaning from raw signal
Nothing in this library builds on this pattern yet.
Reference