rules-system-bound

A generalized system for organizing hierarchically nested containers where the hierarchy emerges from the contained systems themselves, not predetermined levels.

Overview

The Living Container Framework provides rules for:

• Containment: Multi-factor rules (function + scale + boundary) with context-dependent precedence
• Idealized Forms: Co-constitutive relationship between Platonic, Weberian, and Normalized forms
• Interaction Emergence: Interactions emerge from what systems ARE, not predefined categories
• Self-Defining Boundaries: Top boundary defined by the boundary question itself

Installation

git clone https://github.com/organvm-i-theoria/rules-system-bound.git
cd rules-system-bound
python3 -m pip install -e ".[dev]"

The package also installs a console script:

rules-system-bound --json

Quick Start

from rules_system_bound import Container, ContainmentRules, System, InteractionEmergence

# Create containers
universe = Container(id="universe", function="all", purpose="contains everything")
system = Container(id="system", function="organized", purpose="organized function")

# Create containment rules
rules = ContainmentRules()

# Check if universe can contain system
can_contain = universe.can_contain(system, rules)

# Create systems and discover interactions
s1 = System(id="s1", function="process", purpose="does work", scale=1.0)
s2 = System(id="s2", function="store", purpose="holds data", scale=1.0)

emergence = InteractionEmergence()
emergence.register_system(s1)
emergence.register_system(s2)

interactions = emergence.discover_interactions(s1, s2)

Runnable Evidence

From a checkout, the activation smoke path is:

PYTHONPATH=src python3 -m rules_system_bound --json

After installation, the release path is:

rules-system-bound --json

See docs/activation-audit.md for the audit receipt and the exact install/test commands.

Core Concepts

Container Contract

Every container defines:

• FUNCTION: What it enables/produces
• PURPOSE: Why it exists
• LIMITS: What it cannot do
• BOUNDARY: Permeability type (porous, semi_permeable, sealed)

Containment Rules

Multi-factor containment:

1. Function compatibility
2. Scale relation
3. Boundary permeability

Idealized Forms

Three types that co-constitute with real systems:

• PLATONIC: Perfect archetype
• WEBERIAN: Essential function captured
• NORMALIZED: Representation of real instances

Runnable Evidence

From a checkout, the activation smoke path is:

PYTHONPATH=src python3 -m rules_system_bound --json

After installation, the release path is:

rules-system-bound --json

See docs/activation-audit.md for the audit receipt and the exact install/test commands.

Configuration

Copy .env.template to .env and customize:

cp .env.template .env

Development

# Setup
python -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
python -m pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest tests -v

# Run activation smoke path
rules-system-bound --json

# Lint
ruff check src tests

Structure

src/rules_system_bound/
├── __init__.py
├── config.py       # Configuration loader
├── container.py   # Container model & containment rules
├── idealization.py # Idealized forms
└── interaction.py # Interaction emergence