Tags, context & the 27-state model
Preserve source identity, then add frame-relative derived context without overwriting provenance.
Primitive currently has two different metadata layers that must not be confused: immutable-ish source classification in Foundry's primitive.tags/v1, and derived Workspace Primitive metadata including the canonical E/P/A 27-state cube. There is ONE canonical 27-state E/P/A cube today. The proposed Environment, Relation and Context cubes are experiments, not three production cubes.
The source tag is the label stuck to the original box: where it came from and what kind of thing it is. The context score is a note we add later saying how useful or actionable that box is for a particular question. We can change the note without pretending the original box came from somewhere else.
This separation is what lets Primitive trace information reliably. Foundry source tags travel unchanged through intake; OS adds graph edges, summaries, embeddings and frame-relative metadata. The canonical cube q=(E,P,A) uses exactly three ternary axes and Q00–Q26. Zero is a real reference band, while UNKNOWN uses null coordinates. Probability, uncertainty, consequence, risk, confidence and importance remain continuous overlays rather than secretly creating extra cube dimensions.
primitive.tags/v1 — what each group means
| Group | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| identity | Stable source identity and integrity | asset_id, content_sha256, source_scope |
| classification | What the source is | relationship_to_primitive, asset_type, functions, artifact_types, domains |
| evidence | What kind of evidence state we currently know | state, classification confidence |
| lifecycle | Whether the captured source is present/current | state, present |
| governance | Sensitivity and review requirements | sensitivity, security_sensitive, requires_review |
| context | Source-local location/context | source_id, source_kind, source_label, project, original_path, relative_path |
| labels | Searchable convenience labels | relationship, type, functions, artifact types |
E / P / A produces exactly 27 states
The current Workspace contract is q=(E,P,A) in {-1,0,+1}^3. E is Epistemic/Evidence, P is Potency/Capacity, and A is Actionable/Agency. The address is index=(E+1)*9+(P+1)*3+(A+1), producing Q00 through Q26.
0 means reference; null means unknown
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 on an axis | Known reference / middle band |
| -1 / +1 | Declared orientation relative to that axis |
| UNKNOWN | Insufficient/unresolved information; axes are null |
Continuous evaluation stays off the grid
Workspace explicitly keeps probability, uncertainty, consequence, risk, confidence and importance outside the ternary coordinate. That avoids turning the current 27-state contract into an accidental 243-state or larger space.
Environment / Relation / Context cubes are not canonical yet
The recursive-systems programme proposes three coordinated chart instances — Environment, Relation and Context — rather than overwriting E/P/A. Exact axes still require definitions and benchmarking. They should be versioned charts if adopted.
How tags become relevant context without losing lineage
Related pages
Canonical sources
These pages are explanatory read models. Where wording conflicts with implementation or a Control decision, the linked implementation/decision is authoritative and this page should be corrected.