Knowledge builds by accretion. Add to what exists rather than replacing it.
What this means
The emsemioverse grows by adding new content that connects to existing content. It does not grow by rewriting what already exists to match new understanding. When understanding changes, the change is recorded as a new layer — a new decision record, a superseding term, an updated concept with dated context — not as a silent edit that erases the previous state.
This follows from the repository’s use of git (which preserves history) and from the constructive commitment (Policy 004): demonstrating that a new understanding is better requires showing the old understanding and the new one, not erasing the old one.
Operational implications
- Decision records are append-only. Supersede, don’t edit.
- When a term’s meaning changes, add a dated section or create a new term file that references the old one.
- Working notes accrete session entries; they are not rewritten.
- Prefer extending existing files over creating replacements.
- When something is genuinely wrong (not just outdated), fix it — but note the fix in the commit message.
- The git history is part of the knowledge. Avoid force-pushes and history rewrites.