ReceizAcademy
Choose your pathSearch the complete system

Foundation 04 · Authority order

The truth hierarchy

Stronger truth governs weaker projection. A lower layer may display, index, synchronize, or extend stronger truth; it cannot replace it.

What this enables

The solved state

You can decide which source governs a conflict and stop a database, session, network response, or interface cache from downgrading stronger verified truth.

Stronger truth remains above weaker projection
  1. 01Receiz law and product invariants
  2. 02Sealed artifact truth and embedded proof
  3. 03Deterministic proof object state
  4. 04Verified local truth and durable local truth
  5. 05Verified register block and verified append
  6. 06Authenticated snapshot
  7. 07Server distribution, synchronization, indexing, and publication
  8. 08Database and session state
  9. 09Interface cache and temporary render state
  10. 10External references for mechanics only
  11. 11Generic application convention

Forbidden direction: a lower level never replaces a higher level.

Governing statement

Eleven levels establish authority

The authority order is: Receiz law and product invariants; Sealed artifact truth and embedded proof; Deterministic proof object state; Verified local truth and durable local truth; Verified register block and verified append; Authenticated snapshot; Server distribution, synchronization, indexing, and publication; Database and session state; Interface cache and temporary render state; External references for mechanics only; Generic application convention.

Start at the highest available verified source. Use lower layers to present or extend it, never to erase or rename it.

What was broken
A newer server response or active session can be treated as automatically truer than a sealed artifact or verified local record.
What is established
The truth hierarchy ranks sources by their actual proof authority rather than network recency or interface convenience.
What you can do now
You can resolve competing states deterministically by selecting the strongest verified source.
Why it matters
Known truth survives refreshes, reconnects, partial payloads, and ordinary service failure.
Established example

When a sealed artifact and a temporary interface cache disagree, the interface must project the sealed artifact truth.

How the result is proven
  • AGENTS.md
  • docs/invariant-first-kernel.md
  • docs/settled-truth-presentation-window-invariants.md

Governing statement

Replacement may move upward, never downward

Weaker layers may decorate, synchronize, index, hydrate, or display stronger truth. History extends only through a separately verified successor or verified register addition against the exact predecessor or head. No weaker layer may replace, erase, rename, delay, or outrank stronger truth.

A lower layer can help you use what is already proven. It cannot make the proven object less real.

What was broken
Background hydration and partial responses can make a settled surface flicker, empty, or revert to weaker state.
What is established
The no-downgrade rule protects settled truth and permits only verified additions.
What you can do now
You can design first paint and synchronization so the person sees known truth immediately while a separately verified successor against the known head may extend it behind that settled surface.
Why it matters
Speed and correctness become the same rule: reuse stronger known truth first.
Established example

A background response with less complete data cannot clear a held proof object; only a separately verified successor against the known head can extend its history.

How the result is proven
  • AGENTS.md
  • docs/truthful-speed-invariants.md
  • docs/deterministic-surfaces.md