SDS-023: Evolutionary Kernel Service

Status: Draft
Version: 1.0
Date: 2025-12-30
Satisfies: PRD-005, ADR-025
Bounded-Context: shared

0. Isomorphism Declaration

0.1 Domain Glossary

1. System Overview

The Evolutionary Kernel Service is the Will of the Cognitive Architecture. It applies Positive Disintegration (Dabrowski) and Destruction/Creation (Boyd) to enable system adaptation without collapse.

It serves as:

• The Mutation Generator for Spec evolution
• The Trauma Detector for anomaly response
• The Navigator through the fitness landscape

2. Theoretical Foundation

2.1 Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD)

The system treats “errors” not as bugs, but as Psychoneuroses—signals that the current Spec is insufficient and must evolve.

2.2 Boyd’s OODA Loop (Destruction/Creation)

• Observe: Detect Trauma signal (Error > Threshold)
• Orient: Decompose current Spec into constituent parts
• Decide: Select mutation via Axiological Fitness Function
• Act: Apply mutation, achieve Secondary Integration

3. Core Mechanisms

3.1 Overexcitability Sensors

The system is tuned to High Sensitivity for anomaly detection.

3.2 Trauma Detection

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
def detect_trauma(intention: Intention, outcome: Artifact, threshold: float) -> bool:
    """
    E_t = ||I_t - Observed(A_t)||
    If E_t > τ, trigger disintegration.
    """
    trauma = np.linalg.norm(intention.vector - outcome.vector)
    return trauma > threshold

3.3 Mutation Generation

When Trauma is detected, the Kernel generates candidate mutations:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
def generate_mutations(spec: Spec, trauma_signal: TraumaSignal) -> List[Mutation]:
    mutations = []

    # Destruction: Break down current Spec
    entities = spec.decompose()

    # Analogical Synthesis: Apply patterns from other domains
    for entity in entities:
        mutations.extend(analogical_transfer(entity, trauma_signal))

    # Creation: Propose new structures
    mutations.append(synthesize_new_structure(trauma_signal))

    return mutations

3.4 Axiological Selection

Mutations are selected based on the Fitness Function from the Axiological Constitution:

1
2
3
def select_mutation(mutations: List[Mutation], nexus: AxiologicalNexus) -> Mutation:
    """Select mutation that maximizes predicted Value."""
    return max(mutations, key=lambda m: nexus.simulate_value(m))

3.5 Update Law (Gradient Ascent on Values)

1
S_{t+1} = S_t + η × ∇_S E[Φ(L(I, S_t + ΔS))]

Where:

• η: Learning rate (Plasticity)
• ∇_S: Gradient of Value function with respect to Structure

4. Data Model

4.1 Trauma Signal

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
trauma_signal:
  id: 'trauma-uuid'
  timestamp: '2025-12-22T10:00:00Z'
  source:
    intention_id: 'intention-uuid'
    artifact_id: 'artifact-uuid'
  magnitude: 0.75 # ||I - O||
  threshold: 0.5
  triggered: true
  category: 'INTELLECTUAL_OE' # Type of overexcitability

4.2 Mutation Record

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
mutation:
  id: 'mutation-uuid'
  parent_spec_version: 5
  proposed_spec_version: 6
  type: 'SECONDARY_INTEGRATION'
  changes:
    - entity: 'SalesNode'
      action: 'GENERALIZE'
      from: 'Human Salesperson'
      to: 'Revenue Node (Human | AI)'
  predicted_value: 45.0
  status: 'PENDING_APPROVAL'

4.3 Disintegration Event

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
disintegration_event:
  id: 'event-uuid'
  timestamp: '2025-12-22T10:00:00Z'
  level: 'LEVEL_III_SPONTANEOUS_MULTILEVEL'
  trigger: 'trauma-uuid'
  affected_entities:
    - 'SalesNode'
    - 'CustomerInteraction'
  proposed_mutations:
    - 'mutation-uuid-1'
    - 'mutation-uuid-2'
  sovereign_signature: null # Awaiting human approval

5. Execution Flow

sequenceDiagram
    participant Sensor as OE Sensors
    participant Kernel as Evolutionary Kernel
    participant Nexus as Axiological Nexus
    participant Spec as Spec Store
    participant Sovereign as Human Sovereign

    Sensor->>Kernel: Trauma Signal (E > τ)
    Kernel->>Kernel: Level II: Disintegration
    Kernel->>Kernel: Destruction (Boyd)
    Kernel->>Kernel: Generate Mutations
    Kernel->>Nexus: Evaluate Mutations (Fitness)
    Nexus-->>Kernel: Ranked Mutations
    Kernel->>Sovereign: Propose Best Mutation
    alt Approved
        Sovereign-->>Kernel: Signature
        Kernel->>Spec: Apply Mutation
        Kernel->>Kernel: Level V: Secondary Integration
    else Rejected
        Sovereign-->>Kernel: Rejection + Guidance
        Kernel->>Kernel: Generate Alternative Mutations
    end

6. API Contract

6.1 Report Trauma

1
POST /kernel/trauma

Request:

1
2
3
4
5
6
{
  "intention_id": "uuid",
  "artifact_id": "uuid",
  "observed_vector": [0.1, 0.9, 0.3],
  "expected_vector": [0.8, 0.2, 0.5]
}

Response:

1
2
3
4
5
6
{
  "trauma_id": "uuid",
  "magnitude": 0.75,
  "triggered": true,
  "disintegration_level": "LEVEL_III"
}

6.2 Propose Mutations

1
GET /kernel/mutations/{trauma_id}

Response:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
{
  "mutations": [
    {
      "id": "uuid",
      "predicted_value": 45.0,
      "changes_summary": "Generalize SalesNode to Revenue Node",
      "confidence": 0.85
    }
  ]
}

6.3 Apply Mutation

1
POST /kernel/mutations/{mutation_id}/apply

Request:

1
2
3
4
{
  "sovereign_signature": "base64-encoded-signature",
  "approval_reason": "Aligns with Leverage > Automation principle"
}

Response:

1
2
3
4
{
  "new_spec_version": 6,
  "status": "SECONDARY_INTEGRATION_COMPLETE"
}

7. Self-Grooming Protocol

The Kernel continuously monitors for Spec Debt—areas where the current ontology creates friction.

7.1 Backlog as Disintegration Queue

Instead of “features to build,” the backlog is a list of Disintegration Events:

• Where is the system suffering from Psychomotor OE (performance)?
• Where is Emotional OE (user frustration)?
• Where is Intellectual OE (logical contradictions)?

7.2 Attractor State Spec

The Spec is a Strange Attractor, pulling the organization toward the ideal:

• Define the “Personality Ideal” (e.g., “Zero-Touch Fulfillment”)
• The system iteratively disintegrates every process that diverges

8. Integration Points

9. Related Specifications

ADRs

• ADR-025: MECE Cognitive Architecture
• ADR-027: LLM as Idiolect

PRDs

• PRD-005: Cognitive Architecture Platform

Other SDS

• SDS-022: Axiological Constitution Service — Fitness function for mutation selection
• SDS-024: Thermodynamic Substrate Service — Energy budget for mutations
• SDS-027: Isomorphic Semantic Compiler — Mutation affects Spec used by Compiler
• SDS-028: MECE Quadrant Integration — Cross-quadrant coordination
• SDS-031: Authority & Ownership Boundaries — Sovereign signature for high-stakes mutations

References

• REF-012: Invariant Regime