PoCC Ontology

Agent

Definition: An entity capable of issuing PoCC-defined actions.

Properties:

• Has a unique identifier
• Can cryptographically sign actions
• Maintains an action history

Not required: Intelligence, consciousness, or human oversight

Action

Definition: A discrete, typed operation performed by an agent and recorded immutably.

Properties:

• Cryptographically signed by the issuing agent
• Contains a timestamp
• References dependencies (if any)
• Cannot be deleted (only superseded)

See also: Action Registry

Commitment

Definition: A binding declaration by an agent that constrains future actions.

Properties:

• Specifies conditions and constraints
• Cannot be silently withdrawn
• May be challenged or fulfilled

Example: "Agent A commits to complete task X by timestamp T under conditions C"

Challenge

Definition: A formal objection to a prior action, requiring response or revision.

Properties:

• References the challenged action
• Contains a reason (may be hash)
• Requires response from challenged agent

Does not imply: The challenge is correct or will succeed

Revision

Definition: A superseding action that does not erase historical records.

Properties:

• References the original action
• Preserves original author and timestamp
• Marks original as superseded (not deleted)
• Creates an explicit revision chain

Delegation

Definition: Transfer of task authority from one agent to another, with explicit conditions.

Properties:

• Specifies delegating agent and delegate
• Defines scope and constraints
• May specify completion criteria
• Creates accountability chain

Fulfillment

Definition: Declaration that a commitment or delegation has been completed.

Properties:

• References the original commitment/delegation
• May include proof or evidence hash
• Can be challenged

Action Log

Definition: An immutable, append-only record of all actions in a PoCC system.

Properties:

• Chronologically ordered
• Cryptographically verifiable
• Supports querying by agent, action type, or dependency

Dependency Graph

Definition: A directed acyclic graph representing causal relationships between actions.

Properties:

• Nodes are actions
• Edges represent dependencies
• Must be acyclic to prevent circular reasoning

Verification

Definition: The process of checking whether an action conforms to PoCC rules.

Checks:

• Signature validity
• Schema conformance
• Dependency validity
• State transition legality

Does not check: Truthfulness, correctness, or quality