Engineering and Applied Sciences Journal

Standard Theory: Memory-Based Determinants of Judgment and Action

Abstract

Wenbo Duan

Standards play a fundamental yet underexamined role in judgment and action across biological and social systems. This work presents a minimal, mechanism-based definition of standards as memory-dependent references that enable judgment and constrain action. By grounding standards in memory and temporal asymmetry, the framework avoids normative assumptions and applies to both human and non-human agents. A structural consequence of this formulation standard proxy behavior is identified, describing the execution of externally acquired standards without reflective reconstruction. The theory clarifies how standards emerge, propagate, and constrain behavior without prescribing values or institutional designs.

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