E.3:4.2 - Precedence Stack

Each precedence node is an exact applicable pillar, derived principle, guard or assurance requirement, or local policy. The table identifies its source level; it does not rank every sentence in one file above every sentence in another. In particular, level 1 is the Eleven Pillars, not the entire E.2 file.

Default class order. Identify the applicable rules and their source levels. Within the higher-rule boundaries, apply any explicit priority governing this pair. Only an otherwise unresolved conflict uses the default class order: Gov ≫ Arch ≫ Epist ≫ Prag ≫ Did

Unresolved conflict. These relations form a partial order. Two incompatible applicable rules may remain tied or incomparable after the source-level, explicit-priority and class comparisons. Return that exact pair, the shared action and applicability conditions, and hold the dependent action. Unrelated actions remain governed by their own applicable rules. Acyclicity does not guarantee a winner.

To resolve the hold, refer the pair to the authority empowered to amend the affected rules or their priority under their governing change process. That authority may adopt a priority or amend a rule’s scope. Record the rationale, affected scope, Pillar Impact Analysis and edge effects under E.9; an exception also retains its required expiry. The DRR records the decision and does not itself authorize the change. Apply the resolution only after the necessary authorization, retaining higher-rule constraints and the graph rule below.

Graph Rule — The precedence graph MUST be acyclic; any new edge that would form a cycle is rejected.

Governance principle vs Pragmatic principle clash: e.g. Core release schedule (Gov) outranks performance‑tuning (Prag).