The Ten Axioms of Intentional Theory
The following axioms establish the foundational principles of Intentional Theory, a framework for understanding communication in decentralized systems where authorship, intention, and agency are primary.
Unlike traditional models that focus on the transmission of data or the objective content of messages, Intentional Theory begins with the assumption that meaning arises from the intentional acts of identifiable agents.
These axioms define the conditions under which events are considered authored, verifiable, and socially meaningful, providing a neutral substrate upon which subjective truth and collective understanding can be constructed without interference from centralized platforms or artificial intermediaries.
1. Axiom of Intention
Every meaningful act of communication originates from an intentional agent.
2. Axiom of Expression
An intention becomes an expressed event only when it is made externally observable by the agent.
3. Axiom of Authorship
An event is considered authored when it is cryptographically signed by the agent who expresses it.
4. Axiom of Uniqueness
Each signed event is uniquely identifiable and immutable by virtue of its content and cryptographic signature.
5. Axiom of Subjective Truth
A signed event constitutes a subjective truth for its author; it is a verifiable declaration of their intention, not necessarily an objective fact.
6. Axiom of Rumour
An unsigned event, or one lacking verifiable authorship, is a rumour—it exists without intentional accountability and cannot be treated as a fact.
7. Axiom of Interpretation
The truth-value or meaning of an event is determined outside the system, through human interpretation and social context.
8. Axiom of Agency Integrity
The system must preserve the integrity of agency, ensuring that each identity corresponds to a persistent and verifiable source of intention.
9. Axiom of Neutral Substrate
The communication protocol must act as a neutral substrate, transmitting events without modifying, filtering, or ranking them based on content.
10. Axiom of Social Construction
Collective understanding and trust emerge through social processes acting on signed events, not from the system itself.