Stabilising Interpretation: A Structural Account of Branching, Datum Selection, and Compression in the Paton Framework

Interpretation is often treated as subjective, yet no formal account explains why some interpretations stabilise into knowledge while others collapse. This paper introduces a structural model in which interpretation is defined as a constrained branching phase between structure and datum selection. Three operators are formalised—branching (B), datum selection (D), and compression (C)—and interpretation is shown to persist only when compression through a valid datum yields a state within an admissible constraint region A. This yields the Interpretation Stability Principle: an interpretation persists if and only if it admits compression through a valid datum without violating system constraints. The framework provides a unified explanation for insight, disagreement, discovery, and paradigm change without invoking subjectivity. A minimal illustration and falsifiability condition are provided. The result is a domain-neutral structural criterion for when interpretation becomes knowledge.