Infrastructure · Data Structures
Mode
A discrete configuration of agency
Definition
Mechanism
A primitive representing a distinct 'Stance' or 'Configuration of Agency'. Unlike State (which changes frequently), a Mode is a stable set of constraints and priors that governs how an agent processes information (e.g., Exploration Mode vs. Exploitation Mode).
Invariants
- Stability: a Mode persists until an explicit Transition event.
- Declares which Modes it conflicts with; an Agent may hold any set of mutually non-conflicting Modes.
Risks
Failure modes
Relationships
Builds on
References
Used by
References
Reduce a set to a summary statistic
Society
Expendable agent tests the full coordination path before real commit
Society
Explicit, scoped protocol-mode toggle with enter/revert boundaries
Society
Distinguish Peer from Principal
Mind
Run subtasks simultaneously and aggregate
Mind
Learning via cheap, instructive failure
Society
Protocol-level cognitive mode switching
Society
Claim tasks and become the assigned persona
Reference
Data schema
{
"type": "object",
"required": [
"mode_id",
"constraints",
"conflicts_with"
],
"properties": {
"mode_id": {
"type": "string",
"description": "Unique identifier for this mode configuration"
},
"constraints": {
"type": "array",
"items": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Rules governing behavior in this mode"
},
"priors": {
"type": "object",
"description": "Default assumptions active in this mode"
},
"active": {
"type": "boolean",
"description": "Whether this mode is currently engaged"
},
"conflicts_with": {
"type": "array",
"description": "Modes that cannot be held alongside this one. A hybrid stance is a Mode declaring no conflict with its partners, not an exception to exclusivity."
}
}
}