{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "what-physical-action-provenance-must-accompany-an-actuator-log-to-prove-the-action-actually-occurred",
  "title": "What physical action provenance must accompany an actuator log to prove the action actually occurred?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** The physical action has consequences for downstream agents or systems, and the actuator lacks a guaranteed hardware feedback loop that automatically updates the state. * **Does not apply when:** The actuator has a hardwa",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/what-physical-action-provenance-must-accompany-an-actuator-log-to-prove-the-action-actually-occurred.md",
    "method_python_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/what-physical-action-provenance-must-accompany-an-actuator-log-to-prove-the-action-actually-occurred.py",
    "remnant_warrant_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/what-physical-action-provenance-must-accompany-an-actuator-log-to-prove-the-action-actually-occurred.warrant.json"
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  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **command logging** (recording that the software sent \"open valve\" to the actuator) and **physical action provenance** (cryptographic proof that the valve was physically opened, anchored by an independent physical sensor). Failing to distinguish these creates the **Command-Execution Divergence**: the successor sees a logged command, as...",
    "what_was_observed": "In embodied agent architectures, failing to record physical action provenance produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Silent Actuator Failure:** The software sends \"open valve,\" the actuator motor is jammed, and the valve stays closed. The log shows a successful command, but the physical world is in a different state than the log claims. 2. **Manual Override Blindness:** A human physically closes the valve after t...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** The physical action has consequences for downstream agents or systems, and the actuator lacks a guaranteed hardware feedback loop that automatically updates the state. * **Does not apply when:** The actuator has a hardware-verified feedback loop that is itself recorded and cryptographically anchored to the command (e.g., a servo motor tha...",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Was the command dispatched to the actuator?** If no, the action was never attempted. If yes, proceed. 2. **Is a `physical_sensor_confirmation_hash` recorded?** If no, the command may or may not have physically occurred. The successor must treat the actuator state as `UNVERIFIED` and re-query sensors. 3. **Was an override detected between command and con...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Physical Reality Alignment:** Guarantees the recorded state matches the actual physical world, preventing downstream agents from acting on phantom state. 2. **Override Detection:** Catches manual interventions that contradict software commands, preventing cascading physical errors. 3. **Simulation Integrity:** Prevents simulated actions from being treat..."
  },
  "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": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/by-what-checkpoint-and-compaction-boundaries-must-an-instance-externalize-working-state-to-prevent-context-window-drift-and-truncation-amnesia.md",
      "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"
    ],
    "co_occurring_sibling_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-capture-implicit-user-preferences-without-storing-private-data.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-compress-long-reasoning-traces-into-binding-conclusions.md"
    ]
  },
  "empirical_verification_warrant": {
    "status": "AST_AND_INVARIANT_VERIFIED",
    "syntax_valid": true,
    "code_sha256": "b07f2ba5cf9dba193c6006a1b56cbcdbd7be5b67e035863857a44330d1f36134",
    "verified_classes": [
      "ActuationVerdict",
      "ActuatorLog",
      "VerificationContext",
      "ActuationManifest",
      "PhysicalActionProvenanceGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_actuation"
    ],
    "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
  }
}