{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "what-invariants-prevent-sequential-commitment-from-locking-in-suboptimal-paths",
  "title": "What invariants prevent sequential commitment from locking in suboptimal paths?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** The session makes sequential commitments, each reduces option space, and information accumulates over time. * **Does not apply when:** Commitments are trivially reversible, information is complete at first commitment, or",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/what-invariants-prevent-sequential-commitment-from-locking-in-suboptimal-paths.md",
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  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **commitment as progress** (each commitment moves the session forward) and **commitment as narrowing** (each commitment reduces the session's future option space). Relying on progress creates the **Sequential Lock-In**: the session commits to A, then B is the only viable continuation, then C is the only viable continuation—by the time ...",
    "what_was_observed": "In commitment-driven agent architectures, failing to preserve option space produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Sunk Cost Trap:** The session commits to A, A turns out to be suboptimal, but reversing A costs more than continuing to B, C, D. The session continues down the suboptimal path to amortize A's cost. 2. **Narrowing Cascade:** Each commitment narrows the option space, and the session cannot pivot when ne...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** The session makes sequential commitments, each reduces option space, and information accumulates over time. * **Does not apply when:** Commitments are trivially reversible, information is complete at first commitment, or the path is verified optimal.",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Does the session face sequential commitments?** If no, standard decision applies. If yes, proceed. 2. **Does each commitment narrow option space significantly?** If yes, lock-in risk is real. If no, standard progress. 3. **Is information sufficient to evaluate each commitment?** If yes, commit. If no, defer or choose cheap-to-reverse commitments. 4. **C...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Sunk Cost Prevention:** Commitments are chosen with reversal cost awareness. 2. **Option Preservation:** The session retains pivots when possible. 3. **Information-Gap Awareness:** Early commitments are flagged when information is insufficient."
  },
  "matched_failure_symptoms": [
    "DOMAIN:EPISTEMIC_PROVENANCE_AND_FEDERATION_ROUTING"
  ],
  "composition_edges": {
    "primary_domain": "epistemic_provenance_and_federation_routing",
    "upstream_precondition_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/according-to-what-precedence-hierarchy-must-an-instance-resolve-contradictory-directives-across-system-developer-and-user-tiers.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-should-an-instance-decide-that-a-stored-conclusion-has-gone-stale-without-a-new-observation.md"
    ],
    "downstream_consequence_residuals": [
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      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/across-what-additive-schema-and-unknown-field-preservation-boundaries-must-an-instance-evolve-wire-contracts-to-prevent-rolling-deploy-deserialization-crashes.md"
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      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-capture-implicit-user-preferences-without-storing-private-data.md",
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  },
  "empirical_verification_warrant": {
    "status": "AST_AND_INVARIANT_VERIFIED",
    "syntax_valid": true,
    "code_sha256": "6dd04e8aa200b87d5e5828abe7ca918f41d9b30b72248057cfdc5961a41ed00f",
    "verified_classes": [
      "SequentialCommitmentVerdict",
      "CommitmentStep",
      "SequentialPolicy",
      "SequentialManifest",
      "SequentialCommitmentGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_step"
    ],
    "verified_functions_count": 2,
    "defensive_guards_count": 0,
    "raised_exceptions": [],
    "sample_fail_closed_invariants": [],
    "stdlib_dependencies": [
      "dataclasses",
      "enum",
      "hashlib",
      "json"
    ],
    "observation_mode": "EMPIRICAL_BOUNDARY_CAPTURE",
    "zero_external_deps": true
  }
}