Glossary
This glossary defines controlled terms used throughout the Irreversible States framework.
Each term has a single, authoritative definition within this site.
Synonyms are intentionally avoided.
Irreversible State
Section titled “Irreversible State”Definition
An irreversible state is a condition in which a process, decision, or handoff can no longer be altered, reversed, or meaningfully contested without external intervention.
Operational meaning
Once an irreversible state is reached, responsibility, attribution, or outcome becomes fixed in practice, regardless of later claims or explanations.
Not
Not a moral judgment, not a legal ruling, and not a technical impossibility. It is a process-level condition.
Finality
Section titled “Finality”Definition
Finality is the property of a state in which further modification, reinterpretation, or reopening is no longer available within the normal process.
Operational meaning
Finality marks the endpoint at which actions stop producing negotiable outcomes and begin producing binding consequences.
Not
Not permanence in a physical sense, and not immunity from all future disputes.
Acceptance
Section titled “Acceptance”Definition
Acceptance is the act by which a party acknowledges receipt, condition, or completion of an item, service, or obligation.
Operational meaning
Acceptance establishes a reference moment against which later claims are measured.
Not
Not agreement with quality, and not a waiver of all future rights.
Acceptance Finality
Section titled “Acceptance Finality”Definition
Acceptance Finality is the irreversible state created when acceptance has occurred and can no longer be credibly withdrawn within the process.
Operational meaning
After acceptance finality, disputes shift from condition-based claims to responsibility-based claims.
Not
Not a guarantee of correctness, and not proof of absence of defects.
Handoff
Section titled “Handoff”Definition
A handoff is the transfer of custody, control, or responsibility from one party to another.
Operational meaning
Handoffs define transition points where attribution can change.
Not
Not a shipment event only, and not limited to physical goods.
Handoff Finality
Section titled “Handoff Finality”Definition
Handoff Finality is the irreversible state in which a transfer of custody or responsibility is completed and cannot be reassigned retroactively.
Operational meaning
Once handoff finality is reached, responsibility is anchored to the receiving side unless independent evidence establishes an earlier breach.
Not
Not a statement of fault, and not dependent on contractual language alone.
Dispute Node
Section titled “Dispute Node”Definition
A dispute node is a point in a process where responsibility, attribution, or outcome can be contested.
Operational meaning
Dispute nodes emerge at moments of transition, inspection, or decision-making.
Not
Not every event, and not every disagreement.
Chain-of-Custody (CoC)
Section titled “Chain-of-Custody (CoC)”Definition
Chain-of-custody is the documented sequence of control, handling, and transfer of an item or evidence from origin to final state.
Operational meaning
A continuous chain-of-custody supports attribution and integrity across handoffs.
Not
Not a guarantee of correctness, and not proof of condition by itself.
Evidence Output
Section titled “Evidence Output”Definition
An evidence output is a structured collection of materials assembled to support attribution, integrity, and finality at a dispute node.
Operational meaning
Evidence outputs are evaluated as a whole, not as isolated artifacts.
Not
Not raw data, and not informal documentation.
Reference Output
Section titled “Reference Output”Definition
A reference output is a canonical example of an evidence output used to illustrate correct structure and conformance.
Operational meaning
Reference outputs serve as comparative anchors for evaluation and discussion.
Not
Not a template to be filled blindly, and not a legal determination.
Integrity Statement
Section titled “Integrity Statement”Definition
An integrity statement is a declaration describing how evidence integrity is preserved, including handling, sealing, and verification measures.
Operational meaning
Integrity statements explain why evidence should be considered untampered within the process.
Not
Not a cryptographic proof by default, and not a guarantee against all manipulation.
Version Record
Section titled “Version Record”Definition
A version record documents the creation, modification history, and release state of an evidence output.
Operational meaning
Version records prevent silent alteration and establish temporal order.
Not
Not a change log of opinions, and not a collaborative edit history.