---
slug: "OntologyAdapt"
name: "OntologyAdapt"
type: "Inference"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "OntologyAdapt#a541"
sema_id: "sema:OntologyAdapt#mh:SHA-256:a541f46f3c1ffe236a27dfaafaffd0d3dc76bf7c3fa086b5e9bcf1a945c85e63"
tags: ["Mind","Inference"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json
url: https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/OntologyAdapt/
related: ["Agent","Anomaly","Category","Conservation","Noise","OntologyHandshake","RegimeSense","MandatoryAbstraction"]
---

# OntologyAdapt

Restructuring categories to fit data

Layer: Mind · Category: Inference

## Mechanism

Derived from Piagetian psychology. When new data defies classification within the current ontology, the [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) does not force-fit it or discard it. Instead, it triggers a 'Restructure' event, creating new root [Category](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Category.md)s that accommodate the [Anomaly](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Anomaly.md) as a fundamental feature. Utilizes [OntologyHandshake](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/OntologyHandshake.md).

## Invariants

- [Conservation](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Conservation.md) of Data: no [Anomaly](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Anomaly.md) is discarded during accommodation.
- A restructure fires only for a datum that both falls below `fit_threshold` and has survived validation.
- Accommodation creates [Category](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Category.md)s admitting the [Anomaly](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Anomaly.md); reshaping it to fit is assimilation.

## Preconditions

- Data validated as true but unclassifiable

## Postconditions

- Data fits naturally in new structure

## Failure modes

- [Category](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Category.md) explosion: a new [Category](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Category.md) per [Noise](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Noise.md) point.
- Orphaned classifications: data under the old roots is not revisited after a restructure.

## Parameters

- `fit_threshold` (Float, [0.0, 1.0]): Classification confidence below which a validated datum counts as unclassifiable.

## Builds on

- [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) (Mind; References)
- [Anomaly](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Anomaly.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Category](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Category.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Conservation](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Conservation.md) (Physics; References)
- [Noise](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Noise.md) (Physics; References)
- [OntologyHandshake](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/OntologyHandshake.md) (Society; References)

## Used by

- [RegimeSense](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/RegimeSense.md) (Mind; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:OntologyAdapt#mh:SHA-256:a541f46f3c1ffe236a27dfaafaffd0d3dc76bf7c3fa086b5e9bcf1a945c85e63`
- Ref: `OntologyAdapt#a541`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:OntologyAdapt#mh:SHA-256:e67338652fa9214a713c8b4bc8f1ff1173a080090e84e8ca157f5e071f772a38`
  - `sema:OntologyAdapt#mh:SHA-256:1390c9f564ffb7480453ab134ed09247c75651e3512ea113371e29c1d3e95387`
  - `sema:OntologyAdapt#mh:SHA-256:29970914a1bd217ceff29e9a39109832e0102eeb3576cb8fe2ac7a43271e8842`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/OntologyAdapt/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/#OntologyAdapt)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/OntologyAdapt.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json)