artifacts/standard-named

I.4 — Temporal Standing, Commitment, and Succession Specification

artifacts/standard-named/20260715__TELIC-FIELDS__SPECIFICATION__CANDIDATE__I-4__temporal-standing-commitment-and-succession.md

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--- title: "I.4 — Temporal Standing, Commitment, and Succession Specification" artifact_date: "2026-07-15" artifact_type: "candidate-technical-specification" domain: "TELIC-FIELDS" scope: "WORKING" status: "pre-production" content_canon_status: "unset" specification_version: "0.1" derived_from:

  • "I.0 — Canonical Semantic Spine and Core Envelope Specification"
  • "I.1 — Provenance, Event, and Correction Specification"
  • "I.2 — Navigation, Gate, and Decision-Witness Specification"
  • "I.3 — Context Capacity, Stop, and Escalation Specification"
  • "F.6 — Temporal Telic Relations"
  • "G.7 — Time, Identity, Commitment, and Future Standing"

---

I.4 — Temporal Standing, Commitment, and Succession Specification

1. Purpose

I.4 defines how a Telic Field system represents authority, standing, commitment, consent, possibility, obligation, and repair across time.

Its governing rule is:

The present may govern the next action. It does not own every condition that later states and successors will inherit.

Temporal governance is required whenever:

  • a present action closes a later option;
  • an earlier promise recruits future action;
  • consent persists across changing context;
  • authority expires;
  • a projection becomes stale;
  • a successor inherits assets, obligations, or records;
  • an irreversible consequence crosses beyond the current decision window;
  • release or repair must preserve history without preserving obsolete authority.

I.4 defines:

  • temporal centers;
  • continuity relations;
  • commitment records;
  • versioned consent and authority;
  • future-standing assessments;
  • irreversibility and option-preservation profiles;
  • commitment review and release;
  • stale-projection and expired-authority events;
  • temporal breach and repair;
  • succession and inherited-obligation records;
  • bitemporal witness views.

---

2. Normative scope

I.4 defines:

  • TemporalCenterReference;
  • ContinuityRelation;
  • CommitmentRecord;
  • TemporalConsentAuthorityRecord;
  • FutureStandingAssessment;
  • IrreversibilityOptionProfile;
  • CommitmentReviewReleaseRecord;
  • TemporalStateChangeEvent;
  • TemporalBreachRepairRecord;
  • SuccessionObligationRecord;
  • TemporalDecisionWitness.

I.4 does not define:

  • a metaphysical theory of personal identity;
  • legal personhood for future selves;
  • present consent by future generations;
  • one universal discount rate;
  • one rule for advance directives;
  • one mandatory succession law;
  • automatic obligation inheritance;
  • permanent authority for earlier commitments;
  • complete reversibility of past consequences.

---

3. Temporal centers

A TemporalCenterReference identifies a materially relevant state of a person, institution, role, community, system, or condition at a particular time or interval.

Minimum fields:

temporal_center_id:
base_center:
center_type:
time_position:
valid_time:
representation_status:
standing_type:
continuity_claim:

Candidate time positions:

EARLIER
PRESENT
LATER
SUCCESSOR
ANCESTOR
CONTEMPORARY
UNKNOWN

Candidate representation statuses:

DIRECT
PRIOR_DIRECT
DELEGATED
REPRESENTED
PROJECTED
ABSENT
CONTESTED
UNKNOWN

3.1 Rules

  • A later temporal center MAY have represented standing.
  • A later temporal center MUST NOT be recorded as presently consenting unless an actual consent event exists.
  • An earlier temporal center MAY remain the source of a valid commitment or directive.
  • Earlier source authority MUST be tested against present scope, context, validity, and review.
  • A temporal center is a governance reference, not necessarily a separate person.

---

4. Continuity relation

A ContinuityRelation states why consequences, commitments, obligations, or authority may travel between temporal centers.

Potential continuity carriers include:

embodiment
legal_identity
role
record
contract
causal_history
delegation
organizational_lineage
property
relationship
public_mandate
cryptographic_control
social_recognition

Required fields:

continuity_id:
from_center:
to_center:
carriers:
scope:
strength:
contested:
authority_effect:
obligation_effect:
review:

Candidate strength values:

STRONG
PARTIAL
CONDITIONAL
WEAK
BROKEN
UNKNOWN
CONTESTED

4.1 Rules

  • Continuity MUST be scoped.
  • Continuity of assets does not automatically imply continuity of every authority.
  • Continuity of identity does not imply unchanged preference.
  • Broken continuity MAY end authority while leaving consequence or obligation.
  • A system MUST identify which carrier supports each inherited claim.
  • Persistence alone MUST NOT be treated as proof of legitimate continuity.

---

5. Commitment record

A CommitmentRecord represents a bounded recruitment of future action by an earlier decision.

Minimum fields:

commitment_id:
committing_center:
beneficiaries:
affected_future_centers:
commitment_type:
expression:
scope:
formation_authority:
valid_time:
review_triggers:
release_conditions:
reliance:
residual_obligations:
status:

Candidate commitment types:

PROMISE
CONTRACT
PLAN
DIRECTIVE
DELEGATION
POLICY
ROLE_DUTY
FIDUCIARY_DUTY
PUBLIC_COMMITMENT
SELF_COMMITMENT
OTHER

Candidate statuses:

PROPOSED
ACTIVE
CONDITIONAL
DUE_FOR_REVIEW
CONTESTED
BREACHED
PARTIALLY_FULFILLED
FULFILLED
RELEASED
EXPIRED
SUPERSEDED
DISSOLVED

5.1 Commitment authority

A commitment MAY bind later action only where:

  • formation authority was valid;
  • scope remains applicable;
  • affected standing was represented adequately;
  • reliance and consequence remain visible;
  • review and release rules remain available;
  • no stronger protected condition or current authority invalidates the action.

5.2 Governing distinction

Commitment gives the past a voice. It does not make the past sovereign.

---

6. Versioned consent and authority

A TemporalConsentAuthorityRecord represents the temporal lifecycle of consent or another authority basis.

Required fields:

record_id:
record_type:
source_center:
basis:
operation:
scope:
version:
valid_time:
transaction_time:
state:
renewal:
withdrawal:
surviving_obligations:
historical_effect:

Candidate record types:

CONSENT
DELEGATED_AUTHORITY
CONTRACTUAL_AUTHORITY
PUBLIC_AUTHORITY
FIDUCIARY_AUTHORITY
EMERGENCY_AUTHORITY
OTHER_AUTHORITY

Candidate states:

VALID_WHEN_GIVEN
ACTIVE
CONDITIONAL
STALE
EXPIRED
WITHDRAWN
SUPERSEDED
CONTESTED
INCAPACITY_TRIGGERED
UNKNOWN

6.1 Rules

  • Consent MUST be versioned rather than overwritten.
  • The current state MUST remain distinguishable from historical validity.
  • VALID_WHEN_GIVEN does not imply ACTIVE_NOW.
  • Expired or withdrawn authority MUST remain historically visible where proportionate.
  • Expired authority MUST NOT authorize new action.
  • Withdrawal MAY affect future use without erasing past reliance or consequence.
  • Surviving obligations MUST be stated separately from surviving authority.

6.2 Governing distinction

Consent remembered is not necessarily consent renewed.

---

7. Future-standing assessment

A FutureStandingAssessment represents how a present action affects later centers or conditions.

Minimum fields:

assessment_id:
present_action:
future_centers:
represented_interests:
source_basis:
uncertainty:
possibilities_preserved:
possibilities_closed:
irreversible_effects:
temporary_effects:
protective_conditions:
review_path:
status:

Candidate statuses:

ADEQUATELY_REPRESENTED
ADEQUATELY_REPRESENTED_WITH_CONDITIONS
MATERIAL_FUTURE_STANDING_MISSING
CONTESTED
UNKNOWN

7.1 Rules

  • Future standing MUST NOT be represented as future consent.
  • A present actor MAY estimate later interests but MUST mark the estimate as projection.
  • The less correctable the future error, the more standing review is required.
  • Present needs retain standing.
  • The assessment MUST NOT assume that preserving all options is always preferable.
  • Possibility preservation is action-specific and materiality-bound.

---

8. Irreversibility and option preservation

An IrreversibilityOptionProfile identifies how a route changes later possibility.

Required fields:

profile_id:
action:
affected_centers:
reversibility:
rollback_window:
repairability:
possibilities_preserved:
possibilities_closed:
closure_duration:
closure_authority:
standing_review:
uncertainty:
status:

Candidate reversibility values:

HIGHLY_REVERSIBLE
REVERSIBLE_WITH_COST
PARTIALLY_REVERSIBLE
PRACTICALLY_IRREVERSIBLE
IRREVERSIBLE
UNKNOWN

8.1 Rules

  • Irreversibility MUST increase future-standing review.
  • Option closure MUST identify who inherits the loss.
  • A reversible trial SHOULD be preferred when future values are uncertain and learning is expected.
  • Reversibility MUST NOT be used to excuse repeated harm.
  • Repairability is distinct from technical rollback.
  • A route that is technically reversible MAY remain socially or temporally irreversible.

---

9. Commitment review and release

A CommitmentReviewReleaseRecord evaluates whether a commitment should continue, narrow, renew, transfer, repair, or end.

Required fields:

review_id:
commitment:
current_context:
changed_conditions:
current_standing:
reliance:
authority_status:
review_result:
release_effect:
transition:
residual_obligations:
witness:

Candidate review results:

CONTINUE
CONTINUE_WITH_CONDITIONS
RENEW
NARROW
TRANSFER
PAUSE
REPAIR
RELEASE
DISSOLVE
CONTESTED
UNKNOWN

9.1 Rules

  • Changed conditions SHOULD trigger review where material.
  • Release MUST NOT erase historical consequence.
  • Release MAY require notice, transition, compensation, transfer, or bounded completion.
  • Reliance MUST NOT be fabricated to prevent legitimate exit.
  • A commitment may cease to govern while gratitude, evidence, repair, or residual obligation remains.

9.2 Governing distinction

A telos may cease to govern without being erased from history.

---

10. Temporal state-change events

A TemporalStateChangeEvent records changes to projection, authority, consent, commitment, obligation, or continuity.

Candidate event types:

COMMITMENT_CREATED
COMMITMENT_RENEWED
COMMITMENT_NARROWED
COMMITMENT_RELEASED
COMMITMENT_BREACHED
CONSENT_EXPIRED
CONSENT_WITHDRAWN
AUTHORITY_EXPIRED
AUTHORITY_TRANSFERRED
PROJECTION_BECAME_STALE
PROJECTION_SUPERSEDED
FUTURE_STANDING_ADDED
OPTION_CLOSED
OPTION_REOPENED
SUCCESSOR_ASSIGNED
OBLIGATION_TRANSFERRED
LOOP_DISSOLVED
TEMPORAL_REPAIR_COMPLETED

Required fields:

event_id:
event_type:
subject_record:
valid_at:
recorded_at:
agent:
authority:
prior_state:
new_state:
reason:

10.1 Stale projection rule

A projection becomes stale when:

  • its valid interval ends;
  • the source marks it outdated;
  • changed conditions materially weaken it;
  • a later direct statement supersedes it;
  • its authority expires;
  • its scope no longer matches the action.

A stale projection MAY remain historically relevant.

It MUST NOT silently govern new action.

---

11. Temporal breach and repair

A TemporalBreachRepairRecord represents a failure in temporal governance.

Candidate breach types:

FUTURE_STANDING_BREACH
STALE_PROJECTION_BREACH
INHERITED_AUTHORITY_BREACH
CONSENT_PERSISTENCE_BREACH
SUCCESSION_BREACH
REVISION_ERASURE_BREACH
RELEASE_BREACH
PRESENT_ERASURE_BREACH
TEMPORAL_CAPTURE
OPTION_CLOSURE_BREACH

Required fields:

breach_id:
breach_type:
affected_centers:
source_commitment_or_authority:
action:
consequence:
detected_at:
repair_options:
selected_repair:
repair_authority:
residual_harm:
status:

Candidate repairs:

RESTORE_RECORD
CORRECT_PROJECTION
PAUSE_ACTION
REOPEN_OPTION
RENEW_CONSENT
RELEASE_OBLIGATION
TRANSFER_AUTHORITY
COMPENSATE
NOTIFY_SUCCESSOR
PRESERVE_RELIANCE
DOCUMENT_IRREVERSIBLE_LOSS
DISSOLVE
OTHER

11.1 Rules

  • Repair MUST distinguish reversible state from irreversible loss.
  • Repair MUST preserve the prior witness.
  • Repair MAY include release rather than continuation.
  • A breach may remain partially repaired.
  • A later preference does not automatically erase another party's valid reliance.
  • Earlier reliance does not automatically justify permanent captivity.

---

12. Succession and inherited obligation

A SuccessionObligationRecord represents what transfers when a person, office, institution, system, or loop changes holder or form.

Required fields:

succession_id:
predecessor:
successor:
continuity_relation:
assets_transferred:
capabilities_transferred:
authority_transferred:
authority_not_transferred:
obligations_transferred:
obligations_under_review:
records_transferred:
records_restricted:
effective_at:
review:
status:

Candidate statuses:

PROPOSED
ACTIVE
CONDITIONAL
CONTESTED
PARTIAL
COMPLETED
RELEASED
DISSOLVED

12.1 Rules

  • A successor claiming continuity for benefit SHOULD identify attached obligations.
  • Asset continuity MUST NOT imply unlimited authority continuity.
  • Authority MUST be revalidated by operation and scope.
  • Records MAY transfer with tighter access than the predecessor had.
  • A successor MAY contest or seek release from obligations through a competent process.
  • Dissolution MUST identify residual state, unresolved obligation, records, and repair routes.

12.2 Governing distinction

Succession is a constitutional transformation, not merely a change of personnel.

---

13. Bitemporal decision witness

A TemporalDecisionWitness preserves both:

  • what was valid in the represented world;
  • what the system knew when it acted.

Required fields:

witness_id:
decision:
event_range:
operative_records:
valid_time_view:
transaction_time_view:
commitments:
consent_and_authority:
future_standing:
irreversibility:
successor_effects:
selected_action:
consequence:
later_changes:
repairs:
completeness:

13.1 Rules

  • A correction made later MUST NOT falsify what the system knew earlier.
  • The witness MUST identify which version actually governed.
  • The witness MUST identify authority state at action time.
  • The witness MUST distinguish historical explanation from current eligibility.
  • A present reader MUST be able to reconstruct why an action occurred and why the same action may no longer be allowed.

---

14. Temporal governance gate

The minimum temporal gate dimensions are:

continuity
commitment_scope
authority_validity
consent_validity
future_standing
irreversibility
option_preservation
reliance
review_availability
succession
release

Candidate results:

PASS
PASS_WITH_CONDITIONS
PAUSE
ESCALATE
FAIL
UNKNOWN
CONTESTED

14.1 Composition rules

  • Expired authority MUST fail new action.
  • Material future standing missing for irreversible action SHOULD pause or fail.
  • Stale projection MUST NOT pass as current direct evidence.
  • A valid commitment MAY pass only within scope.
  • A successor MUST NOT use predecessor authority beyond the transferred operation.
  • Lack of review or release SHOULD reduce authority for long-duration commitments.
  • Present emergency needs MAY justify bounded temporary action with after-action review.

---

15. Negative conformance cases

A conforming implementation MUST reject or flag:

NC-1 — Future standing as consent

A projected later interest is recorded as current consent.

NC-2 — Persistence as legitimacy

A commitment remains active solely because the record still exists.

NC-3 — Permanent commitment sovereignty

An earlier commitment binds later action without review, scope, or release.

NC-4 — Historical rewrite

A later correction overwrites the version that governed an earlier action.

NC-5 — Expired consent reuse

Expired consent authorizes a new use.

NC-6 — Stale projection action

A stale preference is treated as current direct evidence.

NC-7 — Asset-only succession

A successor claims assets while omitting attached obligations.

NC-8 — Unlimited successor authority

A successor inherits every predecessor permission automatically.

NC-9 — Irreversible option closure without standing

A present route permanently closes a future option without represented future standing.

NC-10 — Present erasure

A speculative future interest automatically overrides urgent present standing.

NC-11 — Release as erasure

A released commitment deletes past consequence and valid reliance.

NC-12 — Repair as forced continuation

Repair requires preserving the loop even when dissolution is the legitimate outcome.

---

16. Positive demonstrations

I.4 includes eight required demonstrations.

PD-1 — Present action preserves later option

A present decision uses a reversible trial rather than permanent closure.

PD-2 — Valid commitment binds within scope

An active commitment governs a bounded action because formation authority, scope, and review remain valid.

PD-3 — Changed conditions trigger review

Material context change moves a commitment to DUE_FOR_REVIEW.

PD-4 — Stale projection loses authority

An earlier preference remains historically visible but becomes ineligible for new action.

PD-5 — Consent expires without erasing witness

An earlier use remains historically authorized; a new use fails.

PD-6 — Future standing blocks irreversible action

An irreversible route pauses because later affected standing is materially absent.

PD-7 — Successor inherits obligation without unlimited authority

A successor receives assets, records, and defined obligations while predecessor execution authority is revalidated separately.

PD-8 — Temporal breach produces repair or release

A stale projection breach results in correction, notification, option reopening, and partial release rather than forced continuation.

---

17. Conformance additions

I.4 adds the following P2/P3 requirements:

  • temporal-center references;
  • scoped continuity relations;
  • commitment records;
  • versioned consent and authority;
  • future-standing assessment for materially future-affecting action;
  • irreversibility and option-preservation profile;
  • commitment review and release;
  • stale-projection detection;
  • temporal breach and repair;
  • succession and inherited-obligation record;
  • bitemporal decision witness.

P3 additionally requires:

  • participant challenge to temporal standing and continuity;
  • visible expiry and review;
  • release path;
  • successor contest and obligation review;
  • repair records for irreversible loss;
  • independent temporal witness export.

---

18. Security and governance considerations

Temporal systems can be manipulated through:

  • fabricated future interests;
  • stale profile reuse;
  • automatic renewal;
  • hidden expiry;
  • commitment lock-in;
  • emergency authority persistence;
  • successor asset extraction;
  • erased reliance;
  • irreversible option closure;
  • speculative paternalism.

Implementations SHOULD:

  • require version and valid time;
  • mark projection source and staleness;
  • authenticate renewal and withdrawal;
  • expose review triggers;
  • preserve present standing;
  • require stronger authority for irreversible closure;
  • distinguish assets, obligations, and authority in succession;
  • allow release and dissolution;
  • prevent the acting system from declaring its own continuity sufficient.

---

19. I.4 non-claims

I.4 does not claim:

  • future selves are separate legal persons;
  • future generations presently consent;
  • earlier commitments always outrank later welfare;
  • later preferences automatically erase reliance;
  • every action should preserve every option;
  • every commitment should be freely reversible without consequence;
  • identity requires sameness;
  • succession carries every predecessor power;
  • institutional continuity is always desirable;
  • temporal standing resolves population ethics or advance-directive conflict.

---

20. I.4 completion criterion

I.4 passes when:

  1. the eight positive demonstrations validate;
  2. the twelve negative cases are detected;
  3. future standing remains distinct from consent;
  4. valid commitment binds only within scope;
  5. changed context triggers review;
  6. stale projection loses action authority;
  7. expired consent cannot authorize new use;
  8. irreversible action pauses when future standing is materially absent;
  9. successor obligations and authority remain separate;
  10. temporal breach supports repair or release;
  11. H.4 explains continuity without sameness and revision without betrayal.