[DSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING] [DSI:NAME=SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA;ROLE=LEARNING;AUTHOR=SIMON_MACFARLANE;VERSION=1_0] [DSM:SYSTEM=SEMANTIC_BINDING;AUDIENCE=PUBLIC,PROFESSIONAL,AUTHORING_SYSTEMS]
Page 3.6 — SSM — Section Semantic Metadata
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.PURPOSE.DEFINITION.3-6-1] [SSI:TITLE=WHAT_IS_SSM;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-1] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.1 — What SSM Is
Section Semantic Metadata (SSM) declares the behavioural contract of a section.
It defines how the content may behave when it is:
- retrieved
- interpreted
- combined
- reused by systems or AI agents
SSM answers one—and only one—question:
“How may this section be used safely?”
SSM is declarative, binding, and enforceable.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.PURPOSE.RATIONALE.3-6-2] [SSI:TITLE=SSM_IS_MANDATORY;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-2] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=RATIONALE;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.2 — Why SSM Is Mandatory
Without SSM, systems must infer:
- why content exists
- whether it is safe to act on
- whether it is descriptive or executable
Inference causes:
- hallucinated procedures
- unsafe summaries
- instruction leakage
- misaligned answers
SSM exists to eliminate inference entirely.
A section without SSM is not semantically safe.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.DIMENSIONS.DEFINITION.3-6-3] [SSI:TITLE=SSM_DIMENSIONS;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-3] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.3 — What SSM Declares
Every SSM anchor declares three mandatory dimensions:
- SECTION — what kind of semantic unit this is
- INTENT — why the section exists
- ABSTRACTION — how close it is to execution
These dimensions are orthogonal, mandatory, and binding.
Together they form the behavioural contract of the section.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.SECTION.DEFINITION.3-6-4] [SSI:TITLE=SECTION_DIMENSION;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-4] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.4 — SECTION Dimension
SECTION declares the structural kind of semantic unit.
It answers:
“What kind of semantic unit is this?”
SECTION is:
- structural
- taxonomic
- content-type oriented
SECTION is not intent, abstraction, or authority.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.SECTION.RATIONALE.3-6-5] [SSI:TITLE=SECTION_IS_AUTHORITATIVE;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-5] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=RATIONALE;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.5 — Why SECTION Is Authoritative
SECTION types are closed and versioned to ensure:
- deterministic chunking
- safe reuse
- predictable routing
- enforceable validation
Inventing SECTION types breaks semantic determinism.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.SECTION.DEFINITION.3-6-6] [SSI:TITLE=CANONICAL_SECTION_TYPES;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-6] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.6 — Canonical SECTION Types
Authors must select exactly one SECTION:
- DEFINITION
- CONCEPT
- COMPONENT
- RULE
- PROCESS
- PROCEDURE
- MODEL
Mixing SECTION types is a semantic fault.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.INTENT.DEFINITION.3-6-7] [SSI:TITLE=INTENT_DIMENSION;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-7] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.7 — INTENT Dimension
INTENT declares why the section exists.
It governs behaviour across:
- summarisation
- extraction
- reuse
- response composition
INTENT must survive rewriting and re-expression.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.INTENT.DEFINITION.3-6-8] [SSI:TITLE=CANONICAL_INTENT_TYPES;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-8] [SSM:SECTION=DEFINITION;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.8 — Canonical INTENT Types
Authors must select exactly one INTENT:
- DEFINITION
- PURPOSE
- RATIONALE
- MODEL
- PROCEDURE
- CONSTRAINT
- APPLICATION
- COMPARISON
- GOVERNANCE
- STATUS
Mixing intents is a semantic fault.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.DIMENSIONS.MODEL.3-6-9] [SSI:TITLE=ORTHOGONAL_DIMENSIONS;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-9] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=MODEL;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.9 — Orthogonality of Dimensions
| Dimension | Governs |
|---|---|
| SECTION | Structural kind |
| INTENT | Behavioural purpose |
| ABSTRACTION | Execution proximity |
They must never substitute for one another.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.CONTRACT.CONSTRAINT.3-6-10] [SSI:TITLE=THE_SSM_CONTRACT;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=3-6-10] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=CONSTRAINT;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.10 — The SSM Contract
Once declared, SSM is enforced.
All content must:
- match its SECTION
- satisfy its INTENT
- remain within its ABSTRACTION
Violations are semantic errors, not stylistic ones.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.SUMMARY.BEHAVIOUR.3-6-11] [SSI:TITLE=SUMMARY;AUTHORITY=SECONDARY;REF=3-6-11] [SSM:SECTION=SUMMARY;INTENT=SUMMARY;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]
3.6.11 — Summary
Section Semantic Metadata (SSM) defines the behavioural contract of a section.
By declaring SECTION, INTENT, and ABSTRACTION explicitly, SSM:
- eliminates inference
- prevents behavioural leakage
- enables safe retrieval
- constrains agent behaviour
SSM is the mechanism that makes semantic content governable.
[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.SECTION_SEMANTIC_METADATA.STATUS.DECLARATION.3-6-12] [SSI:TITLE=STATUS;AUTHORITY=SECONDARY;REF=3-6-12] [SSM:SECTION=STATUS;INTENT=STATUS;ABSTRACTION=LOW]
3.6.12 — Status
Section Semantic Metadata (SSM) is active, mandatory, and authoritative.
All systems must enforce SSM as the behavioural contract governing retrieval, interpretation, composition, and execution safety.
Without SSM, section behaviour becomes inferential and unsafe.