What does this topic answer?
A reference only says what the record is being compared against; it does not make the data more credible or expand personhood status or permission.
Story relation: This story can be used to understand mixed affect with several simultaneous components. It is a reading example, not a claim that the chapter directly uses the name IAGA. Causal Stack Overflow and the Dirty Golden Age
Authority links: System overview
If you only need the worldbuilding context, you can stop here. The sections below contain formal definitions, fields, governance, and implementation details for deeper reference.
Core Principle
A reference class identifies the origin and purpose of a comparison baseline; it does not automatically turn a record into objective truth, a universal norm, legal ownership, or reconstruction authorization.
What Is the Comparison Baseline?
The four reference classes differ by source and purpose, not credibility or personhood rank.
| Formal class | Comparison basis | Does not imply |
|---|---|---|
R0 — Synthetic Neutral | Synthetic neutral reference. | A universal emotional norm. |
AR — Artifact Reference | The artifact or record itself. | Biological or identity truth about a depicted person. |
HR — Human Reference | Human-source data. | That only humans have personhood rights. |
PR — Personal Reference | A longitudinal personal baseline for one person. | Automatic authorization for any use. |
Detailed Rules
A Reference Profile should identify source class, intended comparison use, measurement/inference status, provenance, valid time, and limitations.
A Personal Reference may evolve over time; historical versions should remain auditable when the change affects interpretation.
Scope and Limits
A Reference Profile does not imply a universal norm, personhood hierarchy, first-person equivalence, or automatic authorization for any use.