2.2 KiB
Editorial Principles
Status: RC (Release Candidate) Phase: The Bedrock Phase
Overview
These are the editorial rules governing all content in the Open Engineer standard. Every contributor must follow these principles.
1. Translate. Do Not Transplant.
Open Engineer recognizes observations wherever they arise. It translates enduring observations into engineering principles without adopting the surrounding ideology.
What This Means
Do not import an entire philosophy, tradition, or framework into Open Engineer. Instead, identify the specific observation that has engineering value, and translate that observation into precise engineering language.
Why This Matters
This keeps Open Engineer universal. No tradition is diminished. No tradition is elevated above another. They are acknowledged as independent observers of reality.
Examples
| Tradition | Observation | Engineering Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Taoism | Attachment can obscure perception | An engineer should remain committed to reality above any preferred solution |
| Stoicism | Distinguish what is within your control from what is not | Separate controllable design variables from environmental constraints |
| Indigenous stewardship | We inherit responsibilities as well as resources | Engineering artifacts should be created with stewardship and long-term inheritance in mind |
| Scientific method | Hypotheses must survive testing | Understanding is provisional until verified against reality |
2. Single Responsibility
Every document must have exactly one primary responsibility.
A document that defines observation does not define verification. It references verification. This is how standards remain readable.
3. The Four-Question Framework
Every new addition to the standard must answer four questions:
- Observation? — What was observed that prompted this?
- Engineering Principle? — What engineering principle does this express?
- Reasoning? — What is the reasoning that connects the observation to the principle?
- Relationship to Existing Concepts? — How does this relate to what already exists?
Nothing enters Bedrock without surviving those four layers.