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docs(spec): resolve HIGH-severity §7.4↔§7.7 internal consistency (F2/F3/F4/F12) #200

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dp-web4 merged 1 commit into from
May 17, 2026
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docs(spec): resolve HIGH-severity §7.4↔§7.7 internal consistency (F2/F3/F4/F12) #200

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33 changes: 27 additions & 6 deletions web4-standard/core-spec/mcp-protocol.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -416,9 +416,17 @@ When the MCP caller and responder are in different societies, the Web4 Context H
"exchange_agreement_hash": "sha256:...",
"applicable_law_oracle": "lct:web4:society:A:law-oracle:... OR lct:web4:encompassing:law-oracle:...",
"atp_settlement": {
"currency": "lct:web4:society:A:atp OR lct:web4:encompassing:atp",
"amount": 50,
"exchange_rate": { "denominator": "lct:web4:society:B:atp", "rate": 1.4 }
"caller_currency": "lct:web4:society:A:atp",
"caller_amount": 50,
"responder_currency": "lct:web4:society:B:atp",
"responder_amount": 70,
"referent": {
"kind": "gpu_time",
"specifier": "A100_80GB",
"unit": "hour",
"quantity": 1
},
"exchange_agreement_ref": "sha256:..."
}
},
"agency_chain": [ /* per existing §4.1 proof_of_agency */ ],
Expand All @@ -434,7 +442,11 @@ When the MCP caller and responder are in different societies, the Web4 Context H
- `applicable_law_oracle` resolves the "whose law applies under cross-society interaction" question by explicit reference. Two patterns are supported:
- **Caller-law**: sender's Law Oracle governs the call; responder MAY refuse if local law conflicts
- **Encompassing-law**: when caller and responder share a fractal-encompassing society, that society's Law Oracle governs (per `inter-society-protocol.md` §3.2 Option 3)
- `atp_settlement.exchange_rate` MUST be present for cross-society calls with non-zero ATP cost when the two societies use different currencies; reference must be a current (within agreement validity window) negotiated rate from the inter-society protocol
- `atp_settlement` MUST be present for cross-society calls with non-zero ATP cost when the two societies use different currencies. The settlement block carries both societies' independent valuations of a common referent (per §7.7's referent-grounded model). Implementations MUST populate either:
- An `exchange_agreement_ref` hash referencing a standing agreement (per §7.7.2 standing-agreement flow), OR
- Inline `referent` + `caller_amount` + `responder_amount` fields representing a per-transaction negotiation outcome (per §7.7.3 acceptance payload)

> **Interim conformance note (valid until §7.7 reaches v0.1.0-final):** While §7.7's wire format is marked WIP, implementations that carry the `atp_settlement` block SHOULD populate it using the schema above. Implementations MAY omit `atp_settlement` entirely for cross-society calls where the two societies share a currency or where ATP cost is zero. The MUST applies only to the *presence* of the block when cross-currency settlement is needed; the internal structure stabilizes with §7.7.

**Relationship to §4.1 Web4 Context Headers:**

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -494,8 +506,17 @@ This resolves the `inter-society-protocol.md` §9 future-work item "society-soci
### 7.7 Exchange Rate Negotiation — Referent-Grounded (WIP)

> **STATUS: WIP v0.1.0-draft, 2026-05-14.** This section is incomplete pending fleet review. The architecture (referent-grounding, per-transaction scoping with fallbacks) is settled; the precise message schemas and error semantics may evolve. Implementations SHOULD NOT depend on the wire format until v0.1.0-final.

The existing §7.4 specifies that cross-society MCP calls with non-zero ATP cost carry an `atp_settlement.exchange_rate` referencing "a current (within agreement validity window) negotiated rate." This section specifies *how that rate is arrived at* in a way that preserves society sovereignty (per `inter-society-protocol.md` §4) while enabling implementations to interoperate.
>
> **Subsection conformance status:**
> - §7.7.1 (architectural premise): **Normative** — the referent-grounded model IS the Web4 model; this is a design invariant, not WIP.
> - §7.7.2 (negotiation flow): **Normative-draft** — role assignments (Treasurer) and flow structure are settled; step numbering may change.
> - §7.7.3 (message format): **Normative-draft** — field semantics are stable; wire-format details (field names, nesting) may evolve before v0.1.0-final.
> - §7.7.4 (what's sovereign): **Normative** — the form-vs-substance boundary is a design invariant.
> - §7.7.5 (per-transaction vs standing): **Informative** — implementation guidance only; no conformance requirements.
> - §7.7.6 (oracle reference): **Informative** — implementation guidance only; no conformance requirements.
> - §7.7.7 (failure modes): **Normative-draft** — error codes are stable identifiers; HTTP status codes and recovery text may evolve.

The existing §7.4 specifies that cross-society MCP calls with non-zero ATP cost carry an `atp_settlement` block with both societies' valuations of a common referent (or a hash referencing a standing agreement). This section specifies *how that rate agreement is arrived at* in a way that preserves society sovereignty (per `inter-society-protocol.md` §4) while enabling implementations to interoperate.

#### 7.7.1 Architectural premise: rates are referent-grounded, not abstract

Expand Down