Canon

This document establishes the canonical assumptions of the Codex.

It exists to reduce ambiguity for future readers and to define what is considered stable, intentional, and foundational within this archive.

Canon is not mythology.
Canon is constraint.

Purpose of canon

Over time, records fragment.

Without a stable reference point, later material becomes difficult to interpret, compare, or trust. Canon exists to anchor interpretation.

Anything recorded here is assumed to be:

  • Deliberate
  • Representative of intent at the time of writing
  • Resistant to revision without cause

Canon is not exhaustive.
It is selective by necessity.

Scope

Canon applies to:

  • Structural assumptions
  • Philosophical constraints
  • Design principles
  • Definitions that affect interpretation elsewhere in the Codex

Canon does not attempt to:

  • Predict outcomes
  • Persuade readers
  • Encode belief systems
  • Establish authority

Foundational assumptions

The following assumptions are treated as baseline within the Codex:

  1. Continuity is not guaranteed
    Civilizations, institutions, and technologies can fail abruptly.

  2. Loss is the default state
    Knowledge does not persist unless actively preserved.

  3. Interpretation degrades over time
    Symbols, languages, and contexts shift or disappear.

  4. Durability matters more than completeness
    A partial record that survives is more valuable than a perfect one that does not.

  5. Future readers may be non-contemporary
    They may lack cultural, linguistic, or technical continuity with the creators.

On authorship

Authorship is considered secondary to legibility.

Names, identities, and origins are less important than:

  • Internal consistency
  • Clear definitions
  • Explicit assumptions

Material should stand on its own without requiring trust in the author.

On revision

Canon is conservative.

Changes should occur only when:

  • An assumption is demonstrably false
  • A definition introduces ambiguity
  • A constraint prevents comprehension or survivability

Revisions should preserve prior meaning whenever possible.

Deletion is discouraged.
Supersession is preferred.

Relationship to other sections

  • Obelisk explores implementation and encoding strategies
  • Design addresses symbol systems and visual constraints
  • Archive contains raw or unrefined material not yet stabilized

Canon governs how these sections are interpreted, not what they contain.

Canonical posture

This Codex does not assume benevolence, continuity, or rescue.

It assumes only that:

  • Someone may find this
  • Something may be missing
  • Understanding may be incomplete

The Canon exists to make that understanding possible.

If this document is still readable, then some continuity has already been achieved.