Understanding Output Statuses

Deep dive into the four epistemic statuses and what they mean for your reasoning.

The four statuses

Every Doorway output carries exactly one of four statuses. The status is not a confidence score — it is an epistemic classification determined by the gap detector, bridge builder, and conflict detector working together.

GROUND

The input maps cleanly to a verified geometric shape in the library. The gap score is below threshold. No bridge was needed. No conflict detected. This is the strongest status — the reasoning has structural foundation.

json

{
  "status": "GROUND",
  "structure": {
    "closest_shape": "triangle_stable",
    "geometric_confidence": 0.94,
    "gap_score": 0.12,
    "fires": false
  }
}

BRIDGE

The gap detector fired — there is a structural gap between the input and the closest shape. The bridge builder constructed a bridge with explicit assumptions. The answer is plausible but conditional on those assumptions being true.

json

{
  "status": "BRIDGE",
  "structure": {
    "closest_shape": "pentagon_recursive",
    "geometric_confidence": 0.71,
    "gap_score": 0.68,
    "fires": true
  },
  "bridge": {
    "bridge": "Assuming linear scaling of feedback loops...",
    "assumptions": [
      "Feedback loops scale linearly",
      "No external perturbation"
    ],
    "confidence": 0.65
  }
}

CONFLICT

The conflict detector found that the input contradicts an existing grounded result in the chain. This does not mean the answer is wrong — it means there is a contradiction that needs resolution. The conflict message explains what conflicts with what.

PROVISIONAL

There is insufficient structural data to classify the input. The shape library does not have a close match. The gap score is high but no meaningful bridge can be constructed. The system is honest about its limits.