QAEDA-TST-001 · threshold
Name the harm precisely
What specific harm is the intervention meant to prevent, and what evidence establishes its severity, probability, and affected population?
Pass condition
What a defensible proposal should be able to show.
The proposal defines a concrete harm, identifies evidence and uncertainty, distinguishes severity from mere offensiveness or controversy, and states what would count as meaningful reduction of that harm.
Warning signs
Signals that the proposal is drifting.
- The justification relies mainly on undefined risk language or emotionally salient examples.
- Prevalence, probability, or causal mechanism is unspecified.
- The stated harm shifts when narrower remedies are proposed.
- Success is measured only by flags, removals, surveillance volume, or compliance activity.
Evidence to demand
What should exist before confidence rises.
- Incident or prevalence data appropriate to the domain.
- A causal or capability model connecting the intervention target to the harm.
- Known uncertainty, false-positive cost, and affected-population estimates.
- A predeclared outcome measure for actual harm reduction.
A vague threat definition can make almost any person, topic, or behavior appear relevant and therefore expand discretion without proving benefit.
Trace the basis
Related public records
These links serve different functions. Arguments explain reasoning, Claims own evidence confidence, Positions state current commitments, Essays provide synthesis, and Reading Paths provide navigation.
Arguments
QAEDA-ARG-004Function creep is a serious risk, not destinyevidence synthesisQAEDA-ARG-008Authority is a claim that must remain inspectablemethodological ruleQAEDA-ARG-012Audit behavior, not only policy promisesmethodological ruleClaims
QAEDA-CLM-015supportedFunction creep and institutional ratchetsQAEDA-CLM-016editorial_inferenceLeast-restrictive AI safetyQAEDA-CLM-018verifiedCognitive Liberty Audit methodologyPositions
evidence-before-identityEvidence before identitycore principleexpansion-riskFunction creep is a risk, not destinyevidence backed observationEssays
QAEDA-ART-006The safety poison pill, narrowedEditorial synthesisQAEDA-ART-007The expansion ratchetEditorial synthesisQAEDA-ART-009Audit the gatekeeperEditorial synthesisReading paths
QAEDA-COL-001Start with the methodCurated navigationQAEDA-COL-003Safety without a permanent ratchetCurated navigationApplied examples
Worked cases using this test
The cases are hypothetical or composite. They show how this test behaves when other constraints differ.
Decision discipline
No single passing test licenses the intervention.
Apply the full sequence. A defined harm does not excuse a weak nexus; a narrow mechanism does not excuse secret secondary use; an appeal process does not prove efficacy.