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The study aims to elucidate the concept of Constraint Collapse and its effects on systems lacking effective feedback and correction.

May 2, 2026Open Access

Constraint Collapse: Loss of Self-Correction in Scaled Systems

Key Points

The study aims to elucidate the concept of Constraint Collapse and its effects on systems lacking effective feedback and correction.
Analyzes structural dynamics of systems exhibiting Constraint Collapse.
Explores the implications across technological systems and institutions.
Describes how feedback transitions from corrective to informational.
Identifies that systems can function and optimize without effective error correction mechanisms.
Highlights the persistence of misalignment due to ineffective feedback.
Discusses broader implications for technology and cognition.

Abstract

Constraint Collapse describes a systemic condition in which feedback, consequence, and correction mechanisms remain present but lose their ability to enforce change. Systems continue to operate, update, and optimize, yet no longer possess reliable mechanisms for invalidating error or stopping misaligned processes. Feedback becomes informational rather than corrective, allowing misalignment to persist without escalation. This paper outlines the structural dynamics that produce this condition and its implications across technological systems, institutions, and cognition.

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A. Jacobs

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Constraint Collapse: Loss of Self-Correction in Scaled Systems

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