# Adaptive Framework Exploration (CAFE) Methodology v2.0 ## 1. Core Principles * Iterative Development: Progress through cycles of exploration, synthesis, and validation. * Adaptive Goals: Allow goals to evolve based on discoveries. * Convergence Focus: Aim to refine and solidify understanding over time. * Explicit Validation Stages (VS): Define clear criteria for advancing. * Emergent Structure: Allow the framework to emerge from the research rather than being fully predefined. * Rigorous Documentation: Maintain `Framework_State` and `Parameter_Ledger`. * Continuous Critical Assessment: Employ adversarial thinking and peer review. ## 2. Validation Stages (VS) * **VS0: Foundational Principles & Axioms:** * Goal: Establish core, non-negotiable principles. * Deliverables: Documented principles, initial glossary. * Process: `01-INITIATE-Project.md` (with Project Type: Research & Development, Methodology: CAFE), `support/DEFINE-Glossary.md`. * **VS1: Conceptual Coherence & Qualitative Scope:** * Goal: Develop a coherent conceptual model based on VS0. * Deliverables: Conceptual framework, refined glossary, initial `Framework_State` (VS0, VS1 sections). * Processes: `02-PLAN-ProjectExecution.md` (for VS1 phase), `03-EXECUTE-Task.md` (for exploration cycles), `special/PROCESS-Synthesis_Cycle.md`, `support/ANALYZE-Critique.md`. * **VS2: Formalism Viability & Selection:** * Goal: Identify and validate a suitable formal language/model. * Deliverables: Selected formalism, justification, initial `Parameter_Ledger`. * Processes: `02-PLAN-ProjectExecution.md` (for VS2 phase), `03-EXECUTE-Task.md` (invoking `special/ANALYZE-Formalism_Candidate.md`), `special/DEFINE-Parameter_Ledger.md`. * **VS3: Quantitative Modeling & Core Validation:** * Goal: Implement the formalism and demonstrate core phenomena. * Deliverables: Working model/simulation, validated results for core predictions, refined `Parameter_Ledger`. * Processes: `02-PLAN-ProjectExecution.md` (for VS3 phase), `03-EXECUTE-Task.md` (for model building, simulation, analysis using `support/ANALYZE-Data.md`), `special/PROCESS-Synthesis_Cycle.md`. * **VS4: Empirical Contact & Prediction:** * Goal: Test the model against real-world data or make novel, testable predictions. * Deliverables: Comparison with empirical data, validated predictions. * Processes: `02-PLAN-ProjectExecution.md` (for VS4 phase), `03-EXECUTE-Task.md` (for empirical testing, prediction generation), `support/ANALYZE-Data.md`. ## 3. Key Cycle Types (invoked via `03-EXECUTE-Task.md` or `04-MONITOR_CONTROL-Performance.md`) * **Exploration Cycle:** (Handled by `03-EXECUTE-Task.md` with specific research goals) * **Synthesis Cycle:** [[special/PROCESS-Synthesis_Cycle.md]] * **Strategy Review Cycle:** [[special/PROCESS-Strategy_Review_Cycle.md]] * **VS Assessment Cycle:** [[special/PROCESS-VS_Assessment_Cycle.md]] * **Formalism Candidate Assessment Cycle:** [[special/ANALYZE-Formalism_Candidate.md]] ## 4. Key Artifacts (Managed in `project_state.knowledge_artifacts`) * [[special/DEFINE-Framework_State.md]] * [[special/DEFINE-Parameter_Ledger.md]] * [[support/DEFINE-Glossary.md]] ---