Physics · Primitives
Reversibility
Condition: Can this action be undone?
Definition
Mechanism
Evaluates whether the post-state of an action allows a return to the pre-state. Two tests in order: whether the information needed to reconstruct the pre-state still exists, and only then whether restoring it costs less than the caller's declared limit. Returns TRUE for Type 2 decisions (reversible) and FALSE for Type 1 (one-way doors).
Invariants
- A post-state that destroyed the information yields FALSE at any cost limit.
- The verdict names the cost limit and information-loss tolerance it was judged against, both Constraints supplied by the caller.
Risks
Failure modes
False reversibility
the action created externalities the pre-action analysis omitted.
Cost drift
the tolerance was declared before the reversal is attempted.
Relationships
Builds on
References
Infrastructure
Non-negotiable boundary condition
Used by
References
Society
Reversibility Audit (Alias for Check(Reversibility))
Mind
Convert form while preserving meaning
Society
Run a bounded departure from standing rules with safeguards, review points and an exit back
Reference
Parameters
cost_limitPositiveInteger, unspecified- Maximum acceptable cost to reverse, in a unit the caller states.