PAT-0220
Authority Merge Conflict
A structural condition where multiple authority states are combined over a shared scope without a declared merge, precedence, or reconciliation rule.
Primary Lenses
Conflict Lens
Detects mutually incompatible constraints, claims, states, or declarations that cannot be simultaneously satisfied.
Lens Application
Conflict Lens is a strong inspection mechanism for Authority Merge Conflict because it focuses attention on authority states that cannot operate together as merged. It helps identify where overlapping roles, decisions, permissions, or mandates create unresolved incompatibility across the same operational scope.
Inspect For
- Competing authority claims over the same scope
- Missing precedence or escalation rules
- Conflicting permissions, mandates, or decision rights
- Ambiguous reconciliation after authority states combine
Avoid
Treat overlap alone as sufficient; inspect for unresolved incompatibility and missing merge guidance before treating Authority Merge Conflict as present.
Reconciliation Lens
Evaluates whether structural changes align with declared authority updates, version changes, or reconciliation rules.
Lens Application
The Reconciliation Lens is a strong inspection mechanism for Authority Merge Conflict because it focuses on whether authority changes were structurally reconciled before multiple states were combined. It helps surface missing precedence, mismatched version updates, or undeclared merge behavior across a shared scope.
Inspect For
- Declared reconciliation or merge rules
- Version changes tied to authority updates
- Precedence handling across the shared scope
- Conflicting authority states combined without alignment
Avoid
Treat multiple authority states as an inspection signal, not confirmation of Authority Merge Conflict, until reconciliation expectations, merge rules, or precedence handling are checked.
Secondary Lenses
Authority Overlay Lens
Maps declared authority hierarchies onto observed structure to detect absence, override, or conflict.
Lens Application
The Authority Overlay Lens applies indirectly to Authority Merge Conflict by mapping stated authority relationships against structures where multiple authority states operate together. It can surface places where overlays collide, bypass expected hierarchy, or leave shared control unresolved, supporting further inspection for merge ambiguity.
Inspect For
- Overlapping authority claims across the same scope
- Missing precedence between declared authority states
- Overrides that lack an explicit reconciliation rule
- Shared control areas with unclear governing hierarchy
Avoid
Treat overlay conflict as an inspection cue, not evidence that Authority Merge Conflict has been established.
Primary Issue Matches
No primary issue matches.
Supporting Issue Matches
Conflicting Instructions From Different Authorities
Instructions from different sources, roles, policies, prompts, tools, or workflow authorities conflict without a clear rule for which one governs.
Merge Step Leaves Unresolved Differences
A merge, reconciliation, or consolidation step combines outputs or reviews but leaves important differences unresolved.
Multiple Policies Say the Same Thing
Multiple policies, rules, or guidance documents express the same requirement, creating redundancy and uncertainty about which one governs.
Permissions Conflict After Being Combined
Permissions, approvals, roles, policies, or authority rules that seem valid separately conflict when combined in the same workflow or AI action.
Same Case Has Conflicting Policies
The same case appears to be governed by multiple policies, rules, or standards that point to incompatible outcomes.