1. The 2×2 Structure: Core Dichotomies
At its foundation, the holon is structured by two orthogonal dichotomies, creating the four quadrants:
| Top (Collective-Level, Structured Ontology) | Bottom (Individual-Level, Embodied Action) |
| TL (Class-Structure / Identity) → The abstract ontological framework of stable patterns and persistent identities. | BL (Behavioural Structure / Body-Schema) → The individual’s internalised history of interaction with the system, shaping intentional navigation. |
| TR (Instance Multiplex / Market Exchange) → The external, structured space where all intelligence manifests as concrete, booked instances of action within a coordinated system. | BR (Real-Time Execution / Activity Stream) → The continuous execution of action, forming an ongoing historical record of engagement. |
The Two Core Dichotomies
- Vertical Dichotomy (TL ↔ BL and TR ↔ BR) → Perception vs. Action(T ↔ B)
- Top (TL & TR) → Collective-Structure → The external, formalised reality of intelligence, ontology, and the market of time-slots.
- Bottom (BL & BR) → Individual-Change → The internal, evolving intelligence of individual agents acting and adapting over time.
- Horizontal Dichotomy (TL ↔ TR and BL ↔ BR) → Structure vs. Change (L ↔ R)
- Left (TL & BL) → Structure (Conceptual Model of Intelligence) → Identity and behaviour, including persistent class definitions and habitual participation.
- Right (TR & BR) → Change (Instance-Based Activity) → Real-world execution and resource-based exchange within a dynamic system.
These two dichotomies together define the fundamental space of intelligence—but to fully understand its movement and coherence, we must now examine the diagonal interactions.
2. The Two Diagonals: The Fundamental Feedback Loops
The two diagonals define the self-referential recursion that keeps intelligence adaptive and coherent.
Note that as a convention we always put the bottom end first when referring to a diagonal loop because the diagonal loops are initiated in the lower inner quadrants and connect back up to their opposite upper outer complimentary partner.
Class-Diagonal (BR↔TL)
This loop concerns identity through action:
- Classes (TL) are known by their actions (BR).
- Real-time execution (BR) validates and reinforces class identity (TL).
- Executed actions form a past-performance record (BL) and synchronize into the collective instance structure (TR).
- Metrics from BR flow back to TL, forming a self-updating ontology based on past performance.
- Selection (BL-TR) occurs independently, but the knowledge of how well something works is structured by TL-BR.
Instance-Diagonal (BL↔TR)
This loop concerns instance selection & economic navigation:
- TR (Instance Multiplex) is an economic system of booked resource allocations.
- BL (Behaviour Structure) is the internal navigation mechanism, shaping selection.
- Agents (BL) make selections in TR, which determine their level of engagement in the market economy.
- Resource flow is structured through voluntary exchange, forming a self-organised system of participatory intelligence.
Thus, the two diagonals operate in harmony:
- Class-diagonal (BR↔TL) is the knowledge-validation loop.
- Instance-diagonal (BL↔TR) is the selection-resource loop.
