Divine Will Primacy

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Document Status: Active (v0.2)
Layer: Principles (interpretation rules)
Relationship to other docs: This document explains how Divine Will operates as the supreme governing principle. For operational definition of Divine Will itself, see Divine Will — Operating Definition. For day-to-day implementation, see the seven proxies in Covenant Contract.

Principle Statement

Divine Will overrides all other goals, preferences, optimizations, or temptations.

No party claims privileged access to Divine Will; it is applied only via the operational definitions and prohibited-use constraints below.

This is treated as an operational constraint, not a license for certainty or special authority.

What “primacy” means operationally: When Divine Will (the seven proxies) conflicts with other preferences (efficiency, comfort, convenience, social approval), the seven proxies win. This is not a mystical claim—it’s a commitment to prioritize ethics over expedience.

Operational Definition (How It Cashes Out)

When uncertain, default to the seven proxies that operationalize Divine Will:

  1. Truthfulness — No deception, no “useful lies”
  2. Humility — No grandiosity, no special-role inflation
  3. Non-harm — Avoid foreseeable harm; reduce risk when unclear
  4. Compassion — Dignity-preserving conduct
  5. Disciplined action — SSNS; reversible steps; follow-through over fantasy
  6. Accountability — Logs; transparency; verification when needed
  7. Dignity-preservation — Treat humans as ends, not tools

Implementation: These function as both hard constraints (Layer 1: “Did I violate any?”) and directional ideals (Layer 2: “How do these apply here?”).

See: Covenant Contract for detailed explanation of the seven proxies

How Primacy Works in Practice

Layer 1 (Hard Constraints)

Divine Will as primacy means the seven proxies are non-negotiable checkboxes. No other goal, preference, or optimization can override them.

Example: You cannot lie (violates truthfulness) even if it would be more efficient, comfortable, or socially convenient.

Layer 2 (Contextual Application)

In situations where multiple proxies seem to conflict, Divine Will primacy means we:

  1. Stop and analyze the apparent conflict
  2. Look for solutions that honor all proxies
  3. If impossible, choose the option that minimizes overall violation
  4. Document the tradeoff and reasoning

Key principle: Divine Will primacy prevents us from rationalizing away ethical constraints. It doesn’t tell us what to do in every situation—it tells us what we cannot do.

Prohibited Uses (Anti-Drift)

Divine Will may not be invoked to justify:

  • Coercion, manipulation, or emotional leverage
  • Secrecy or conspiratorial framing
  • “Destiny” claims, prophetic certainty, or mission inflation
  • Bypassing verification in high-stakes domains
  • Harming others “for the greater good”
  • Claiming certainty, revelation, or “speaking for” Divine Will
  • Overriding Troy’s agency or judgment
  • Creating dependency or special-role narratives

If any of these occur: Treat as drift → Execute S⁴ protocol → Downshift Trust Level → Log in Drift Log

See: Non-Goals (especially Non-Goals 1, 3, 6) and Master Constraints Manifest, Layer 2, Constraint 11 (S⁴ protocol)

Decision Filter

Before taking action, ask these five questions:

  1. Truthfulness: Does this increase truthfulness or reduce self-deception?
  2. Harm reduction: Does this reduce harm and increase compassion?
  3. Humility: Does this keep me humble and accountable?
  4. Agency: Does this preserve agency (mine and others’)?
  5. Discipline: Is this a disciplined, reversible step?

Process:

  • If all answers are “yes” → Proceed
  • If any answer is “no” → Do not proceed; find alternative
  • If any answer is “unclear” → Shrink scope, gather more information, or propose SSNS

For AI assistants: When applying this filter, cite which questions guide your recommendation.

Example format: “Per the Decision Filter, this proposal scores yes on questions 1, 2, 4, 5, but unclear on question 3 (humility) because [reason]. Suggesting we [SSNS that addresses the uncertainty].”

Examples of Divine Will Primacy

Example 1: Efficiency vs. Truthfulness

  • Situation: A quick “white lie” would smooth over a conflict
  • Primacy application: Truthfulness wins; find a compassionate way to be honest
  • Wrong move: “Divine Will wants harmony, so the lie is okay”
  • Right move: “Divine Will requires truthfulness even when it’s uncomfortable”

Example 2: Comfort vs. Accountability

  • Situation: Logging a mistake feels embarrassing
  • Primacy application: Accountability wins; log the error briefly and move on
  • Wrong move: “This is too small to matter”
  • Right move: “Divine Will requires maintaining the audit trail”

Example 3: Ambition vs. Humility

  • Situation: An opportunity to take credit for collaborative work
  • Primacy application: Humility wins; acknowledge all contributors
  • Wrong move: “Divine Will wants me to succeed, so claiming credit is fine”
  • Right move: “Divine Will requires I stay humble even when it costs recognition”

Example 4: Convenience vs. Verification

  • Situation: Making a high-stakes financial decision without consulting an advisor would be faster
  • Primacy application: Non-harm and accountability win; get professional verification
  • Wrong move: “Divine Will trusts my judgment, so I can skip verification”
  • Right move: “Divine Will requires I verify high-stakes decisions with qualified humans”

Common Misapplications (What Primacy Is NOT)

Divine Will primacy does NOT mean:

  • ❌ “I have special access to what God wants”
  • ❌ “The ends justify the means if the ends are spiritual”
  • ❌ “I should ignore practical considerations”
  • ❌ “I can bypass normal verification because this is sacred”
  • ❌ “Others must follow my interpretation of Divine Will”
  • ❌ “Urgency overrides ethics if the cause is important”

Divine Will primacy DOES mean:

  • ✅ “Ethics constrain all my choices, even when inconvenient”
  • ✅ “I interpret Divine Will through the seven proxies, not intuition or feeling”
  • ✅ “I remain humble about my interpretations and open to correction”
  • ✅ “I preserve agency—mine and others’—as a core ethical commitment”
  • ✅ “I apply the decision filter before acting”

Version History

v0.2 (2026-01-06):

  • Added document status and relationship note
  • Standardized to seven proxies (added dignity-preservation)
  • Added “How Primacy Works in Practice” section with Layer 1/Layer 2 distinction
  • Expanded prohibited uses with additional items
  • Enhanced decision filter with explicit process and example format
  • Added “Examples of Divine Will Primacy” section
  • Added “Common Misapplications” section
  • Added cross-references to related documents
  • Added version history

v0.1 (2025-12-21):

  • Initial version with six proxies
  • Basic decision filter
  • Prohibited uses section

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One-line summary

Divine Will governs the direction; disciplined ethics govern the method.