PMS Theory

Formal Grammar & PMS.yaml

Purpose of this Page

This page documents the formal core of PMS: its machine-readable grammar, defined in a single canonical specification file.

PMS is not primarily explained in prose. It is defined normatively through PMS.yaml.

What Is PMS.yaml

PMS.yaml is the canonical specification of PMS.

It defines:

• the 11 irreducible operators (Δ–Ψ)
• their formal order
• dependency constraints
• operator layers (L1–L4)
• derived structural constructs (axes, IA-patterns, self-binding)
• explicit usage guardrails and normative constraints

In short:

PMS.yaml is the source of truth for the PMS operator grammar.

All papers, diagrams, implementations, and derivatives are secondary to this file.

What PMS.yaml Is Not

PMS.yaml is not:

• a program
• an implementation
• a simulator
• a psychological model
• a diagnostic system
• an ontology or worldview
• an AI system

It does not:

• describe mental states
• classify persons
• assign scores or labels
• infer traits or pathologies

PMS.yaml defines structural operators only.

Normative Role

PMS.yaml is a normative specification, not a descriptive dataset.

This means:

• operator order is binding
• dependencies are enforced
• misuse is structurally identifiable
• extensions must remain derivable, not arbitrary

Any system claiming to “use PMS” must be auditable against this file.

High-Level Structure (Conceptual)

The YAML is organised into clearly separated blocks:

• Schema metadata
  Versioning, scope, intended and forbidden uses
• Core principles
  Non-diagnostic use, praxeological focus, operator minimality
• Operator system (Δ–Ψ)
  Definitions, order, dependencies, layers
• Derived structures
  Axes (A, C, R, E, D), IA-patterns, self-model fixpoint
• Example operator chains
  Canonical, non-exhaustive compositions
• AI interface & guardrails
  Constraints for safe integration into agent systems

Each block has a distinct role and must not be conflated with others.

Minimal Illustrative Example

The following snippet illustrates the style of the specification. It is not a complete definition.

meta_axioms:
			  - id: "Δ"
			    name: "Difference"
			    order: 1
			    definition: "Introduces a distinction within a structural field."
			    depends_on: []
			    provides: ["selectability"]

			  - id: "Ω"
			    name: "Asymmetry"
			    order: 6
			    definition: "Establishes directional or role-based imbalance."
			    depends_on: ["Δ", "□"]
			    provides: ["directionality"]
			

Key properties illustrated:

• explicit order
• explicit dependencies
• no semantics beyond structure
• no examples tied to persons or psychology

Versioning & Status

• Canonical file: PMS.yaml
• Repository: GitHub (linked below)
• Status: model specification (stable grammar, extensible derivatives)

The YAML is versioned explicitly to allow:

• citation
• compatibility checking
• long-term governance

Repository & Downloads

• Canonical repository
  Praxeological Meta-Structure Theory (GitHub)
• Primary artifact
  PMS.yaml

Implementations should consume the YAML directly, not reimplement parts ad hoc.

Who This Page Is For

This page is intended for:

• system designers
• AI / agent architects
• formal theorists
• developers integrating PMS as a governance layer
• researchers citing PMS as a structural grammar

If you are looking for applications, continue to:

• PMS-STACK
• PMS-QC
• MIPractice

What Comes Next

PMS.yaml defines what exists in the operator system and what is allowed at the level of formal grammar.

What it does not yet show is how operators interact dynamically once composed: how frames persist, how commitments form, and how invariants constrain future structure.

The next page moves from static definition to structural interaction.

→ Continue to:
Composition & Semantics
(How Δ–Ψ operators combine, bind, and constrain one another)