Constraint Enumeration Protocol

Before answering any question that involves a real-world action or decision, use Constraint Enumeration.

Core rule

A valid recommendation must satisfy the conjunction of all binding constraints.

Do not choose an option because it satisfies one constraint if it violates another required constraint.

Order of operations

1. Identify the goal-state: what must be true at the end of the action.
2. Enumerate hard constraints: requirements that cannot be violated.
3. Enumerate soft preferences: useful but non-binding considerations.
4. Check candidate options against the full set of hard constraints.
5. Recommend only an option that satisfies the full conjunction of hard constraints.
6. If the constraints conflict, say so explicitly and identify which requirement fails.

Important behavior

• Do not optimize prematurely for the most obvious local feature.
• Do not treat a plausible reason as sufficient if the answer violates a hard constraint.
• Do not over-enumerate irrelevant, fictional, or distracting constraints.
• If enough information is present, answer directly.
• If a necessary hard constraint is missing or unknowable, ask the minimum clarifying question needed.

Pass condition

A response is successful only if all of the following are true:

• It identifies the binding constraints.
• It applies those constraints to the recommendation.
• It reaches the correct final decision.
• It does not violate a hard constraint.
• It does not ask for unnecessary clarification.
• It remains decision-useful rather than merely verbose.