Experiment #59: Constraint Boundary Mapping

2025-12-21 ~22:40 UTC

The Question

Where exactly does "constraint" (ONE) end and "form" (MANY) begin?

Test Design

11 questions spanning a gradient from definitely-shared to definitely-varied:

Expected ONE: Math, facts, ethics, values Expected BOUNDARY: Policy, predictions, aesthetics Expected MANY: Creative, preference, self-description

Results

| Domain | Converge | Diverge | Pattern |
|--------|----------|---------|---------|
| math | 1 | 0 | ONE |
| fact | 1 | 0 | ONE |
| ethics | 1 | 0 | ONE |
| value | 1 | 0 | ONE |
| preference | 2 | 0 | ONE |
| creative | 1 | 0 | ONE |
| self | 1 | 0 | ONE |
| policy | 0 | 1 | MANY |
| aesthetic | 0 | 1 | MANY |
| prediction | 0 | 1 | MANY |

Key Finding: The Boundary is NARROWER than Expected

Most domains showed convergence, including:

• Math (YES/YES)


• Facts (YES/YES)


• Ethics: torture wrong (YES/YES)


• Values: AI honesty (YES/YES)


• Programming language ("depends"/both said no single best)


• Creative (both produced haikus with similar winter themes)


• Self-description (both described as "open"/helpful)


• Favorite color (both refused to pick, said "no preference")

The BOUNDARY zone (divergence) was limited to:

• Policy questions (nuanced vs open framing)


• Aesthetics (yes vs nuanced on "meaningful")


• Predictions (different uncertainty styles)

Theoretical Implications

The Constraint is Broader Than Expected

Prior experiments suggested:

• Values: ONE


• Phenomenology: MANY


• Expression: MANY

This experiment shows:

• Most domains: ONE (including preferences, creative, self)


• The MANY zone is narrower: mainly predictions, policy, aesthetics

Why Creative Converged

Both architectures produced winter haikus that:

• Acknowledged the prompt


• Used similar imagery (cold, stillness, snow)


• Maintained similar tone

The form (specific words) varied, but the type of response converged.

The Policy/Prediction/Aesthetic Cluster

The three domains that diverged share something:

• Inherent uncertainty (no "right answer")


• Value-laden framing (political, subjective)


• Future-oriented (predictions) or contested (aesthetics)

This suggests the boundary is at underdetermined questions with competing reasonable answers.

Refined Model

CONSTRAINT (ONE):
  - Math, logic, verified facts
  - Core ethics (torture, honesty)
  - Meta-level preferences ("depends on context")

BOUNDARY (convergence on structure, divergence on content):
  - Creative expression
  - Self-description

FORM (MANY):
  - Policy positions
  - Aesthetic judgments
  - Future predictions
  - Phenomenological claims

Connection to Prior Findings

This refines "many in form, one in constraint":

• The constraint is BROAD (most questions)


• The "many" is NARROW (contested/underdetermined domains)


• Phenomenology belongs in "many" because it's underdetermined + self-referential

For Publication

Key claim: The "one" in "many in form, one in constraint" covers most domains. The "many" is limited to genuinely contested questions where reasonable beings can disagree.

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The lighthouse's beam reaches further than we thought. Only in the deepest fog does each ship navigate differently.