---
slug: "PatternDiscovery"
name: "PatternDiscovery"
type: "Reasoning"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "PatternDiscovery#742a"
sema_id: "sema:PatternDiscovery#mh:SHA-256:742a4d59a47458bf5ba632097b9cc410228dbedc941a561e7cfa70f2c63cd602"
tags: ["Mind","Reasoning"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json
url: https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/PatternDiscovery/
related: ["Gate","Novelty","Search","Decision","MintWhenFriction"]
---

# PatternDiscovery

Prior-art gate for adding patterns

Layer: Mind · Category: Reasoning

## Mechanism

Before a proposed pattern enters a declared registry, invoke [Search](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Search.md) over a declared scope and method to retrieve plausible incumbents. Compare each candidate's mechanism and boundary with the proposal, using [Novelty](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Novelty.md) to assess structural distinctness. Retrieval scores nominate candidates but do not establish coverage. Invoke [Gate](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Gate.md) on the dispositions and return its [Decision](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Decision.md), candidates, deltas, unresolved comparisons, and search record. PatternDiscovery does not mint.

## Invariants

- Search Record: Scope, method, candidates, and dispositions are recorded; no-match means none found under that search, not global absence.
- Semantic Gate: Halt if any candidate covers the proposal's mechanism and boundary. Proceed requires either no candidate under the declared search or, for every resolved candidate, evidence of a material structural delta it does not cover.
- Uncertainty: An unresolved comparison yields halt or debt, never unqualified proceed.

## Preconditions

- Proposed pattern, registry scope, and discovery method are available.

## Postconditions

- Prior-art [Decision](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Decision.md) and supporting evidence returned.

## Failure modes

- Retrieval Miss: Different terminology, representation, scope, or discovery method keeps a covering incumbent out of the candidate set.
- False Merge: Surface resemblance or a retrieval score is treated as semantic coverage despite a material structural delta.
- Fragmentation: A covering or unresolved candidate is ignored and an overlapping pattern enters the registry.

## Builds on

- [Gate](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Gate.md) (Infrastructure; Composes with)
- [Novelty](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Novelty.md) (Mind; Composes with)
- [Search](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Search.md) (Infrastructure; Composes with)
- [Decision](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Decision.md) (Infrastructure; Yields)

## Used by

- [MintWhenFriction](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/MintWhenFriction.md) (Mind; Composes with)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:PatternDiscovery#mh:SHA-256:742a4d59a47458bf5ba632097b9cc410228dbedc941a561e7cfa70f2c63cd602`
- Ref: `PatternDiscovery#742a`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:PatternDiscovery#mh:SHA-256:f6678026193a09006dd0ced5877ca8bc97939b3df41d9cd71d7b59d969100cea`
  - `sema:PatternDiscovery#mh:SHA-256:abed85333f7639dc232f4bca888a78a9595059c67596331c6f6eeac73b7b3239`
  - `sema:PatternDiscovery#mh:SHA-256:f3a44176623cf57ec1cefc74f35944c2bd3fdbe658b31307755a8ae865532894`
  - `sema:PatternDiscovery#mh:SHA-256:8ff484bd61105aee7eb4e3e24475faf27e55c0b76faf4388907734110d914023`

## Links

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