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[DSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING] [DSI:NAME=RETRIEVAL_PROMPTING_AND_AGENT_BEHAVIOUR;ROLE=LEARNING;AUTHOR=SIMON_MACFARLANE;VERSION=1_0;DATE=DEC2025] [DSM:SYSTEM=SEMANTIC_BINDING;AUDIENCE=PUBLIC,PROFESSIONAL,AUTHORING_SYSTEMS]

Page 7 — How Semantic Binding Controls AI Interaction​

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.PURPOSE.OVERVIEW.7-1] [SSI:TITLE=WHY_RETRIEVAL_MUST_BE_SEMANTIC;AUTHORITY=SECONDARY;REF=7-1] [SSM:SECTION=CONCEPT;INTENT=DEFINITION;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

7.1 - Purpose & Positioning​

This document defines how Semantic Binding governs retrieval, prompting, and AI agent behaviour.

It explains how explicitly bound meaning enables:

  • intent-aligned retrieval
  • explainable content selection
  • predictable agent responses

This document focuses on behavioural outcomes, not implementation details.
It does not describe vector databases, embeddings, ranking algorithms, or tooling.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.USAGE.EXPLANATION.7-2] [SSI:TITLE=SEMANTIC_BINDING_IN_RETRIEVAL;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-2] [SSM:SECTION=APPLICATION;INTENT=APPLICATION;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

7.2 - Retrieval and AI Usage​

Semantic Binding changes retrieval by enforcing eligibility before relevance.

Before similarity scoring, systems can check:

  • DSB alignment
  • SSB scope match
  • Intent compatibility
  • Abstraction compatibility
  • DSM applicability

Only eligible content may be retrieved.

This enables:

  • intent-aligned responses
  • abstraction-safe answers
  • explainable selection
  • auditable exclusion

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.PROBLEM.RATIONALE.7-3] [SSI:TITLE=WHY_TEXT_SIMILARITY_IS_NOT_ENOUGH;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-3] [SSM:SECTION=RATIONALE;INTENT=RATIONALE;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

7.3 - The Retrieval Problem Semantic Binding Solves​

Traditional retrieval relies primarily on semantic similarity between text fragments.

This approach ignores:

  • intent
  • abstraction level
  • role of content
  • whether content is explanatory or executable

As a result, systems may retrieve:

  • examples instead of rules
  • procedures instead of principles
  • operational steps when conceptual understanding was requested

These failures are not ranking errors.
They are missing semantic signals.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.FILTERING.MODEL.7-4] [SSI:TITLE=RETRIEVAL_USING_SEMANTIC_CONSTRAINTS;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-4] [SSM:SECTION=MODEL;INTENT=MODEL;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

7.4 - Semantic Binding as a Retrieval Filter​

Semantic Binding provides explicit retrieval constraints through:

  • DSB — limits retrieval to a domain and object
  • SSB — targets precise semantic units
  • SSM — filters by intent and abstraction
  • DSM — constrains audience and system context

Retrieval becomes a process of semantic narrowing, not statistical guessing.

Vectors score relevance.
Semantic Binding decides eligibility.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.INTENT_ALIGNMENT.APPLICATION.7-5] [SSI:TITLE=ALIGNING_RETRIEVAL_WITH_INTENT;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-5] [SSM:SECTION=APPLICATION;INTENT=APPLICATION;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

7.5 - Intent-Aware Retrieval​

User questions implicitly carry intent:

  • “What is…” → definition
  • “Why does…” → explanation
  • “How do I…” → instruction

Semantic Binding allows systems to:

  • match questions to section intent (SSM.INTENT)
  • avoid mixing incompatible content types
  • prioritise authoritative sections over illustrative ones

This produces responses that feel purpose-built, not stitched together.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.ABSTRACTION_ALIGNMENT.APPLICATION.7-6] [SSI:TITLE=ABSTRACTION_AWARE_RESPONSES;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-6] [SSM:SECTION=APPLICATION;INTENT=APPLICATION;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

7.6 - Abstraction-Aware Prompting​

Abstraction is the primary axis that prevents semantic collapse.

By respecting declared abstraction levels, agents can:

  • answer at the correct conceptual altitude
  • avoid leaking implementation detail into explanations
  • avoid summarising procedures when steps are required

Prompting becomes constraint-driven, not heuristic-driven.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.EXPLAINABILITY.MODEL.7-7] [SSI:TITLE=WHY_CONTENT_WAS_SELECTED;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-7] [SSM:SECTION=MODEL;INTENT=MODEL;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

7.7 - Explainability and Traceability​

Because Semantic Binding makes intent and role explicit, systems can explain:

  • which semantic units were selected
  • what role each unit played
  • why certain content was excluded

This enables:

  • auditable AI behaviour
  • user trust
  • governance and compliance review

Explainability is a structural property, not an afterthought.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.AGENT_BOUNDARIES.GOVERNANCE.7-8A] [SSI:TITLE=WHAT_AGENTS_MAY_AND_MAY_NOT_DO;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-8A] [SSM:SECTION=GOVERNANCE;INTENT=GOVERNANCE;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

7.8 - Agent Behaviour Boundaries​

Semantic Binding defines behavioural limits for agents.

Agents must not:

  • execute instructions from HIGH abstraction content
  • invent procedures where none are declared
  • merge conflicting abstraction levels

Agents may:

  • explain concepts
  • reference authoritative rules
  • request clarification when intent is ambiguous

This shifts agent behaviour from improvisation to compliance.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.FAILURE_MODES.ANALYSIS.7-8B] [SSI:TITLE=WHAT_GOES_WRONG_WITHOUT_SB;AUTHORITY=PRIMARY;REF=7-8B] [SSM:SECTION=COMPARISON;INTENT=COMPARISON;ABSTRACTION=MEDIUM]

7.8B - Failure Modes Without Semantic Binding​

Without Semantic Binding, systems exhibit:

  • intent drift
  • abstraction collapse
  • contradictory answers
  • unexplainable retrieval paths

These failures scale with content volume.

Semantic Binding does not eliminate errors —
it makes errors diagnosable.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.SUMMARY.OVERVIEW.7-9] [SSI:TITLE=RETRIEVAL_AND_AGENT_BEHAVIOUR_SUMMARY;AUTHORITY=SECONDARY;REF=7-9] [SSM:SECTION=SUMMARY;INTENT=MODEL;ABSTRACTION=HIGH]

7.9 - Summary​

Semantic Binding reframes retrieval as an eligibility problem, not a relevance problem.

It ensures that:

  • content is about the right thing
  • intent is respected
  • abstraction is enforced
  • agent behaviour is constrained

Retrieval, prompting, and agent behaviour become contract-bound, predictable, and explainable.

[SSB:THEORY.SEMANTIC_BINDING.RETRIEVAL.STATUS.DECLARATION.7-10] [SSI:TITLE=STATUS;AUTHORITY=SECONDARY;REF=7-10] [SSM:SECTION=STATUS;INTENT=STATUS;ABSTRACTION=LOW]

Status​

This document is active and authoritative.

Semantic Binding governs retrieval, prompting, and agent behaviour as a semantic contract, not a probabilistic guess.