Constraint
Definition
Constraint is the structural condition that prevents complete redistribution of a perturbation.
In LMR, constraint is not force, pressure, energy, tension, stress, or dynamical resistance.
Constraint is the grammatical basis for persistence.
Tier Placement
Primary tier: Tier 1
Role: Structural prevention of redistribution
Constraint belongs to the foundational lattice grammar established in Paper II.
Source
Primary source: Paper II — Lattice, Perturbation, and Persistence
Authority level: Foundational structural
Paper II establishes that persistence requires constraint and that constraint is structural rather than mechanical.
Function in LMR
Constraint functions as the condition that permits persistence.
It supports:
- prevention of full redistribution
- minimal persistent configuration
- structural distinction
- asymmetry
- admissibility
- later half-fold classification
Constraint is what allows a perturbation to remain structurally meaningful rather than fully redistributing.
Allowed Use
Constraint may be used as a Tier 1 structural condition.
It may be used when defining persistence, minimal persistent configurations, and admissibility restrictions.
Prohibited Misuse
Constraint must not be treated as:
- force
- pressure
- energy barrier
- physical stress
- field confinement
- mechanical binding
- dynamical resistance
Constraint is structural permission and prevention, not physical compulsion.