ParadoxOps

ParadoxOps — Paradox Tension Detection & Lifecycle Management

Competing truths exist simultaneously. ParadoxOps detects, scores, and manages them.

Overview

ParadoxOps is the fifth executable domain mode. It detects competing truths (tensions) in the same operational space, tracks them through lifecycle states, computes pressure and imbalance, and promotes them to drift signals when thresholds are breached. Supports pair (2 poles), triple (3 poles), and higher-order (4+ poles) tension sets with multi-dimensional scoring and inter-dimensional drift detection.

Module: src/core/modes/paradoxops.py

Package: src/core/paradox_ops/ (7 submodules: models, dimensions, scoring, drift, lifecycle, validators, registry)

Function Map

ID	Name	Purpose
PDX-F01	tension_set_create	Create a Paradox Tension Set with poles and initial dimensions
PDX-F02	pole_manage	Add, remove, or update poles in a tension set
PDX-F03	dimension_attach	Attach a common or uncommon dimension to a tension set
PDX-F04	dimension_shift	Record a dimension value change with previous value preservation
PDX-F05	pressure_compute	Compute pressure score (0.0-1.0) from pole dispersion, dimension strain, threshold proximity, rate of change
PDX-F06	imbalance_compute	Compute imbalance vector for pair/triple/higher-order sets
PDX-F07	threshold_evaluate	Evaluate dimension thresholds and detect breaches
PDX-F08	drift_promote	Promote an elevated tension set to a drift signal
PDX-F09	interdimensional_drift_detect	Detect inter-dimensional drift (2+ shifted + governance stale)
PDX-F10	seal_snapshot	Seal tension set state with hash and version
PDX-F11	patch_issue	Issue a patch with recommended actions
PDX-F12	lifecycle_transition	Handle rebalance, archive, and other lifecycle transitions

Lifecycle State Machine

detected --> active
active --> elevated | sealed | archived
elevated --> promoted_to_drift | sealed | active (de-escalation)
promoted_to_drift --> sealed
sealed --> patched | archived
patched --> rebalanced | archived
rebalanced --> archived
archived --> (terminal)

Core Pipeline

PDX-F01 (create) --> PDX-F03 (attach dims) --> PDX-F04 (shift dims)
                                                    |
                                                    v
PDX-F05 (pressure) --> PDX-F07 (thresholds) --> PDX-F09 (ID drift)
        |                       |                    |
        v                       v                    v
PDX-F06 (imbalance)    PDX-F08 (promote)    PDX-F11 (patch)
                               |
                               v
                       PDX-F10 (seal) --> PDX-F12 (lifecycle)

Pressure Score Formula

Weighted combination (0.0-1.0):

• Pole dispersion (0.3): variance of pole weights, normalized
• Dimension strain (0.3): max |current - previous| across dimensions
• Threshold proximity (0.2): 1 - min(distance to threshold)
• Rate of change (0.2): count of recently shifted dimensions / total

Pressure >= 0.7 with state active triggers automatic transition to elevated.

Imbalance Vector

• Pair (2 poles): single value in [-1, +1] — [w1/(w1+w2) - 0.5] * 2
• Triple (3 poles): 3-vector summing to 0 — [w_i/sum - 1/3]
• Higher-order (4+): n-vector — [w_i/sum - 1/n]

Inter-Dimensional Drift Detection

Triggered when:

1. 2+ dimensions shifted beyond their threshold
2. 1+ governance-relevant dimensions remain stale (shift < 10% of threshold or no shift)

Produces a red drift signal with shifted/stale dimension lists.

6 Common Dimensions

Dimension	Governance Relevant	Threshold
time	No	0.5
authority	Yes	0.4
risk	Yes	0.4
layer	No	0.5
objective	No	0.5
resource	No	0.5

Plus 10 uncommon dimensions: reversibility, confidence, visibility, classification, provenance_depth, dependency_density, human_fatigue, legal_exposure, mission_criticality, narrative_volatility.

Patch Actions (8)

Action	When Used
increase_control_friction	Risk elevated
clarify_authority	Authority stale
add_review_gate	Risk elevated
split_by_layer	Layer tension
reduce_irreversibility	Time compressed + risk high
elevate_visibility	Visibility low
expire_stale_assumption	Stale assumption
promote_to_policy_band	Default escalation

Context Dependencies

Every handler receives event and ctx. Key context fields:

Key	Type	Used By
paradox_registry	ParadoxRegistry	All handlers
tension_lifecycle	TensionLifecycle	F01, F05, F08, F10-F12
dimension_registry	DimensionRegistry	F01, F03
memory_graph	MemoryGraph	F01, F08, F10, F11
now	str	F01, F04, F10, F11

Related Pages

• IntelOps — claim lifecycle domain
• FranOps — canon enforcement domain
• ReflectionOps — gate enforcement domain
• AuthorityOps — authority enforcement domain
• DecisionSurface — portable Coherence Ops runtime
• Cascade Engine — cross-domain propagation
• Event Contracts — routing table and event declarations