Canonical node
Actor Grounding Layer
This page introduces AGL as part of the public corpus.
Definition
Short definition block
AGL is a bounded upstream grounding layer for signals, actors, nodes, and perceptual paths before runtime reliance or action progression is allowed.
It asks whether a source is grounded enough in real present execution state to support action, escalation, or review at all.
Role in the stack
L4 constrains physical viability and boundary conditions; AGL constrains source grounding for runtime reliance.
It relates to continuity through actor condition, local initiation state, delegated source state, and perception integrity.
If grounding is degraded, the path may narrow, hold, quarantine, or deny progression under fail-closed discipline.
What this is not
- Not a replacement for ARL procedural dispute review.
- Not a replacement for L4 Witness evidence traceability.
- Not a replacement for L4 Hardware Perimeter.
Earth paragraph
Grounding before progression
Before a long-lived system treats a signal as operationally real, it checks source-state qualification, runtime reliance, initiation gates, degradation signals, and fail-closed transitions. If the actor, sensor, or path is stale or degraded, progression should stop before review is forced to clean up a bad beginning.
Source basis: README.md, Executive_Summary_Actor_Grounding_Layer_v0.1.md, Relationship_to_ARL_L4_Witness_and_Hardware_Perimeter_v0.1.md, Source_State_Qualification_and_Runtime_Reliance_v0.1.md, Initiation_Gates_and_Preconditions_v0.1.md, and Degradation_Signals_and_Fail_Closed_Transitions_v0.1.md in the public ester-reality-bound corpus.