Published on 2025-12-08
This publication defines a governance substrate that is distinct from any values framework, developmental model, or interpretive narrative that may sit above it. The substrate consists of enforceable, falsifiable commitments that operate within defined contexts and stabilise cooperation by aligning the interests of participants. Governance in this sense is structural: it concerns the rules by which actions are made accountable, not the beliefs or personal qualities of the actors involved.
Any system, framework, or methodology that uses, adapts, or re-expresses this substrate—including its definitions, sequences, or enforcement logic—constitutes a derivative work under CC-BY-SA 4.0 and must be attributed and shared under the same licence. Interpretive or developmental frameworks (e.g., those concerned with values, meaning-making, personal growth, or psychological capacities) may coexist with this substrate but do not replace or redefine it.
In short: governance is the mechanism; values and interpretations are layers above it. This separation enables pluralism, protects authorship, and ensures that cooperative structures remain open, portable, and non-proprietary.