Belief Retraction Priority Gap Tool

Description

Select the flagged minimum or maximum priority according to lowerIsEarlier, retaining the first tied index; return -1 and zero with defined false when none.

Belief-revision priorities order supplied records rather than measure their truth. Rank direction, tie handling and the absence of any candidate must be explicit so that a sentinel is not mistaken for a selected belief.

Select the flagged minimum or maximum priority according to lowerIsEarlier, retaining the first tied index; return -1 and zero with defined false when none.

When to use this tool

Use Belief Retraction Priority Gap when you need a priority comparison or selection among supplied belief records.

How to use the tool and how it works

Enter beliefPriorities, retracted, lowerIsEarlier. Keep parallel arrays aligned. Use the units and conventions below.
Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
Read firstRetractionIndex, priority, defined. Inspect defined before interpreting the associated values.

Require aligned priorities and retraction flags. Select the flagged minimum or maximum priority according to lowerIsEarlier, retaining the first tied index; return -1 and zero with defined false when none.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and units	Accepted input
beliefPriorities	Belief Priorities	Required. Array of finite number; maximum items 256.
retracted	Retracted	Required. Array of boolean; maximum items 256.
lowerIsEarlier	Lower Is Earlier	Required. Boolean.

Output field	Interpretation	Returned shape
firstRetractionIndex	First Retraction Index	Required. Safe integer.
priority	Selected numeric priority or zero placeholder; inspect defined and firstRetractionIndex.	Required. Finite number.
defined	Whether the stated denominator or normalization exists; inspect before interpreting a zero placeholder.	Required. Boolean.

json

{
  "input": {
    "beliefPriorities": [
      3,
      1,
      2
    ],
    "retracted": [
      true,
      true,
      false
    ],
    "lowerIsEarlier": true
  },
  "output": {
    "firstRetractionIndex": 1,
    "priority": 1,
    "defined": true
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

Priority zero may be a real selected value or an absence placeholder. The tool does not retract beliefs, evaluate evidence or determine rational priority.
Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Review the reasons for the ordering and use the intended complete revision policy. Evaluate evidence and consistency separately from a numeric rank lookup.

References

Calculation and input contract: epistemology/belief-retraction-priority-gap — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

Belief Priority Rank Gap
Return second-minus-first gap, exact tie and firstPreferred under the selected low-rank/high-rank convention.
Defeater Retraction Event Token Tool
Associate an explicit belief, defeater and retraction event without performing belief revision.