Editing Openai/6973e373-2b8c-800d-84b7-d7001cfc6bac (section)

=== 3) The Axioms (universal rules of inference + discourse hygiene) ===

These axioms are how you keep this method from turning into either “you can’t infer anything” or “I can read your soul.”

==== Axioms about inference (what can be concluded from text) ====

Axiom 1 — Text is behavior, not just content.
Threads are sequences of actions: answering, dodging, conceding, specifying, reframing, straw-manning, updating.

Axiom 2 — Single snapshots are weak; sequences are strong.
One comment can be miscalibration. Repeated cycles under scrutiny become diagnostic.

Axiom 3 — Analyst skill matters.
Some people can track premises and patterns better than others. “Text alone can’t tell” is often an overgeneralization.

Axiom 4 — Confidence is not evidence.
Confidence correlates with truth and miscalibration. It proves neither.

Axiom 5 — Tone is not a truth-maker.
Tone may be data, but it cannot substitute for the repair/engagement record.

Axiom 6 — Intent is often unknowable; function is often clear.
Therefore, function-based classification (“effective”) is the disciplined default.

Axiom 7 — The strongest inference comes from repair opportunities.
If someone is offered low-cost, specific repair and repeatedly refuses, the causal space collapses fast.

Axiom 8 — “Not measured” is not “not present.”
But “not measured” is also not a valid premise for certainty claims.

==== Axioms about Meta-Cluster 1 (observable effective discourse failure) ====

Axiom 9 — Good faith is not a feeling; it’s a pattern of repair behaviors.
Good faith shows up as quoting, specifying, answering, conceding, narrowing claims, stating update-conditions.

Axiom 10 — Bad faith can be functional without being conscious.
People can sincerely believe what they’re saying and still behave in ways that function as derailment.

Axiom 11 — Substitution moves are the signature.
When asked to engage premises, the person substitutes tone labels, meta labels, credentials, narrative reframes, ridicule, or exit moves.

Axiom 12 — “Path of least resistance” selects the cheapest move that protects the self-story.
The mind doesn’t need to be evil. It only needs to treat self-correction pain as “too expensive.”

Axiom 13 — Time/attention limits are only exculpatory before the repair test.
If they keep replying but won’t do minimal repairs, it’s no longer about time; it’s about payoff.

Axiom 14 — Overgeneralization is a reliability leak.
Universal claims require universal-level justification; otherwise they’re epistemically negligent.

Axiom 15 — Premise discipline beats conclusion performance.
A conclusion with missing premises is still an unreliable mind at work.

==== Axioms about skill (reliability under pressure) ====

Axiom 16 — A skill is only as dependable as its worst-case deployment.
What someone does under ego threat is more predictive than what they can do when calm.

Axiom 17 — Calm presentation does not imply cognition fully online.
Cold defenses can coexist with severe epistemic avoidance.

Axiom 18 — Credentials do not substitute for premise-level engagement.
They may indicate domain skill; they do not prove discourse integrity right now.

Axiom 19 — Miscalibration becomes self-protective when correction is repeatedly refused.
Early mistakes can be innocent; persistence under clear feedback indicates blindspot maintenance.

==== Axioms about Meta-Cluster 2 (state/modulators) ====

Axiom 20 — State variables modulate performance; they don’t define the mechanism.
Arousal affects bandwidth and slope, but doesn’t automatically explain substitution patterns.

Axiom 21 — Without tangible indicators, state inferences should remain optional, not foundational.
Otherwise “they’re dysregulated” becomes a projection shortcut.

Axiom 22 — Stability across state is the real measure.
Baseline competence, degradation slope, recovery time, and trigger frequency determine dependability.

==== Axioms about Meta-Cluster 3 (causal empathy constellation) ====

Axiom 23 — Developmental causes are plausible; they are not thread-provable.
Life-history inference is a “wouldn’t be surprised” layer unless corroborated.

Axiom 24 — Causal empathy is not exoneration.
Understanding upstream causes doesn’t change downstream harm or discourse incompatibility.

Axiom 25 — Keep enforcement behavior-based; keep empathy hypothesis-based.
Public standards rely on Meta-Cluster 1. Private compassion can consider Meta-Cluster 3 without asserting it.