Skip to content
Open
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Changes from all commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
36 changes: 36 additions & 0 deletions docs/goblin-control-primitive.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
# Goblin as Control Primitive

This document operationalizes **Goblin** as a control primitive for agents and systems.

## Definition

Goblin = system state is not trustworthy for decision-making.

## Required Behavior

When Goblin is detected:

- Do not trust current state
- Gate irreversible actions
- Capture cross-plane state
- Surface explicitly

## Trigger Conditions

- Cross-plane inconsistency
- Presented vs actual divergence
- Orphaned authority
- Unresolvable truth source

## Agent Rule

```
IF inconsistency_detected:
emit GoblinEvent
set severity >= 2
block irreversible actions
```

## Notes

Goblin is the front-door signal. Root cause (model gap, drift, SCIG) is secondary.
77 changes: 77 additions & 0 deletions src/goblin/control.py
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
from __future__ import annotations

from dataclasses import dataclass, field, asdict
from datetime import datetime, timezone
from typing import Any, Mapping, Sequence


@dataclass(frozen=True)
class GoblinEvent:
"""Executable control signal for untrustworthy system state.

Goblin is the front-door signal. It does not require root cause certainty.
It only requires enough inconsistency to degrade trust and constrain action.
"""

condition: str
severity: int
planes: Sequence[str] = field(default_factory=tuple)
evidence: Mapping[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
detected_at: str = field(
default_factory=lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
)
event_type: str = "GoblinEvent"

@property
def action(self) -> str:
if self.severity >= 3:
return "block"
if self.severity >= 2:
return "gate"
if self.severity >= 1:
return "warn"
return "none"

def to_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
payload = asdict(self)
payload["type"] = payload.pop("event_type")
payload["action"] = self.action
return payload


def detect_goblin(
inconsistency: bool,
*,
condition: str = "unspecified_inconsistency",
severity: int = 2,
planes: Sequence[str] | None = None,
evidence: Mapping[str, Any] | None = None,
) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
"""Return a GoblinEvent payload when trust must be degraded.

Severity semantics:
- 0: clean
- 1: warn
- 2: gate decision / require verification
- 3+: block irreversible action
"""

if not inconsistency:
return None

normalized_severity = max(int(severity), 2)
event = GoblinEvent(
condition=condition,
severity=normalized_severity,
planes=tuple(planes or ()),
evidence=dict(evidence or {}),
)
return event.to_dict()


def should_block(event: Mapping[str, Any] | None) -> bool:
"""True when an emitted GoblinEvent should block execution."""

if not event:
return False
return int(event.get("severity", 0)) >= 3
Loading