STRUCTURAL TAXONOMY OF COGNITIVE ARCHITECTURE
A Foundational Classification System for DEM & Structural Cognition
This taxonomy organises cognitive architecture into discrete structural levels.
It provides a unified classification system for modes, topologies, load dynamics, and field interactions within the Dual-Mode Elicitation Model™ (DEM) and the broader framework of structural cognition.
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I. TAXONOMIC LEVELS
Cognitive architecture can be organised into four levels:
Level 1 — Base Architecture
Primitive structural elements.
Level 2 — Topological Configurations
How architecture reshapes under load, safety, and transition.
Level 3 — Mode-Level Dynamics
Directive / Exploratory configurations and their transitions.
Level 4 — Field-Level Interaction
How architectures co-shape a shared cognitive environment.
Each level is structural; together they define the system.
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II. LEVEL 1 — BASE ARCHITECTURE
Four primitives anchor all DEM dynamics:
1. Load
Total demand placed on the system.
2. Gradient
Directional pressure shaping cognitive movement.
3. Capacity Distribution
Allocation of cognitive resources.
4. Predictive Tension
Strain generated by mismatch between expectation and unfolding conditions.
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III. LEVEL 2 — TOPOLOGICAL CONFIGURATIONS
DEM identifies five structural topologies:
1. Steepened Topology
High load; narrowed range; convergence; brittleness.
2. Flattened Topology
Low load; widened range; generativity; looseness.
3. Transitional Topology
Nonlinear shift; threshold dynamics; temporary instability.
4. Fragmented Topology
Overload; competing gradients; coherence loss.
5. Recovered Topology
Re-stabilisation; restored gradients and continuity.
This level describes the “terrain” through which cognition moves.
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IV. LEVEL 3 — MODE-LEVEL DYNAMICS
DEM defines two structural modes:
Directive Mode
• Narrow bandwidth
• Convergence
• Precision & decisiveness
• Load-stabilised
• Reduced generativity
Exploratory Mode
• Wide bandwidth
• Divergence
• Generative search
• Possibility expansion
• Reduced precision
Mode Switching
Transition occurs through four structural steps:
1. Transitional steepening
2. Threshold crossing
3. Architectural reconfiguration
4. Stabilisation in the new mode
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V. LEVEL 4 — FIELD-LEVEL INTERACTION
When architectures interact, they form a shared cognitive field defined by:
1. Load Propagation
Steepening in one system alters gradients in another.
2. Coherence Coupling
Systems stabilise one another by gradient alignment.
3. Misalignment Drift
Divergent modes increase interpretive distance.
4. Structural Synchrony
Systems transition in parallel; shared meaning becomes architectural.
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VI. CROSS-LEVEL STRUCTURES
Certain processes influence all levels:
1. Thresholds
Points where incremental change produces nonlinear shifts.
2. Microtransitions
Continuous adjustments maintaining coherence.
3. Stabilisation Mechanisms
Predictive recalibration, attentional redistribution, capacity smoothing.
4. Load Pathways
Channels through which strain travels within and across architectures.
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VII. STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM
[FIELD LEVEL]
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ Coherence • Propagation │
│ Synchrony • Misalignment │
└──────────────┬───────────────┘
│
▼
[MODE LEVEL]
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ Directive ◀── Threshold ──▶ Exploratory │
└──────────────┬───────────────┘
│
▼
[TOPOLOGICAL CONFIGURATIONS]
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ Steep • Flat • Transitional │
│ Fragmented • Recovered │
└──────────────┬───────────────┘
│
▼
[BASE ARCHITECTURE]
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Load • Gradient • Capacity • Predictive Tension │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
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© Frankie Mooney, 2025. All rights reserved.
Part of the DEM and Structural Cognition reference infrastructure.
Published on FrankieMooney.com
For enquiries: enq@frankiemooney.com
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