---
slug: "DepthGovernor"
name: "DepthGovernor"
type: "Strategy"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "DepthGovernor#5b24"
sema_id: "sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:5b24d810ede53e7e6716e3e20e7c28cf578f171845af2358344c25f0c56b7b75"
tags: ["Mind","Strategy"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/DepthGovernor/
related: ["Agent","Condition","Decompose","Loop","Plan","Problem","RecursionDive","Taper"]
---

# DepthGovernor

Entropy-based stopping condition for recursion

Layer: Mind · Category: Strategy

## Mechanism

Entropy-Bounded Recursion: Decomposition depth is not fixed but governed by informational entropy. [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) measures uncertainty of current [Plan](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Plan.md). If entropy exceeds `entropy_threshold`, [Decompose](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Decompose.md) further; below it, execute. Stop thinking when uncertainty drops below action cost. Depth is a function of ambiguity, bounded by `max_depth` only as a backstop. It acts as the termination [Condition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Condition.md) for [RecursionDive](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/RecursionDive.md), halting descent when informational entropy drops below the threshold.

## Invariants

- The governor cannot be bypassed.
- Descends only while entropy exceeds `entropy_threshold`.
- Never descends past `max_depth`, whatever the entropy.

## Failure modes

- Ambiguity [Loop](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Loop.md): entropy never drops because the [Problem](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Problem.md) is inherently subjective, so descent runs to `max_depth` and acts on an unresolved plan.
- Miscalculated entropy leads to premature action.
- Estimation overhead: measuring entropy costs more than the decomposition it avoids.

## Parameters

- `entropy_threshold` (Float, [0.1, 0.5]): Stop when uncertainty below this
- `max_depth` (Integer, [3, 20]): Hard limit on recursion

## Builds on

- [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) (Mind; References)
- [Condition](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Condition.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Decompose](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Decompose.md) (Mind; References)
- [Loop](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Loop.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Plan](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Plan.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Problem](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Problem.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [RecursionDive](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/RecursionDive.md) (Mind; References)

## Used by

- [Taper](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Taper.md) (Society; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:5b24d810ede53e7e6716e3e20e7c28cf578f171845af2358344c25f0c56b7b75`
- Ref: `DepthGovernor#5b24`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:ea1ab9913430c0a8b04f517766edabfe7e29239eec6626731c69048d7334b480`
  - `sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:54316ce66cc6934c617842a5453bfeccfb2f11d6eb7c337986c52d3d3050087e`
  - `sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:a3e937d651c99333315d333034b3a3be136376bfc1a5139cc758f218640cfc87`
  - `sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:96cf874e588e4260c67abf3b8cdca5a0234d9b6a637e1c7981b7f77025668c93`
  - `sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:8ffa2c512f4ac7e6b51a53adf4e8208e6dff587c4d954294b0f4cc35ab8f9e89`
  - `sema:DepthGovernor#mh:SHA-256:c4ad7271dc734ab16e034e854231c12d64be68f37860b1f8f2d9e11324ab1b8e`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/DepthGovernor/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#DepthGovernor)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/DepthGovernor.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)