# Proof of Descent **Domain:** Continuity / Provenance / Identity **Doc Type:** Canonical Concept Node **Maturity:** Evolving **Related:** [[Continuity Telemetry]], [[Distributed Data Architectures]], [[Biometric Identity Frameworks]], [[Continuity Evidence vs Continuity]] --- ## Definition **Proof of Descent** is verifiable evidence that one state, instance or successor derives through a documented causal chain from another. It establishes lineage and authorized transition without claiming to prove consciousness or numerical identity. ## Evidence Architecture A proof-of-descent system may record hashes, timestamps, signatures, version history, state manifests, custodial transfers, fork points, deactivation and delegated authority. It should make later tampering visible and distinguish copying from authorized succession. Authority lineage is a narrower case of descent. Emerging agent-identity drafts preserve the original principal and successive delegation steps through a chain ending in an attributable action. That chain can establish who authorized whom without claiming that any downstream agent is personally continuous with the upstream principal. Authority genealogy and personal genealogy may use similar cryptographic machinery while answering different questions. Cryptographic identifiers can support this work, but the identifier is not the person. A valid signature can show who authorized a transition; it cannot show that the resulting process experiences continuity. Similarly, biometric similarity may support attribution without resolving whether a reconstruction is a continuant or native. [[Person of Interest S5E13 — return 0]] demonstrates why lineage can guide governance while identity remains open. [[Halores]] shows that proven descent from Dolores does not preserve Dolores's authority over the descendant. ## Key Insight **Chain of custody can be engineered more rigorously than metaphysical sameness can be proven.** ## See Also [W3C DID Resolution](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-resolution-1.0/), [[Successor Standing]], [[Fork Rights]], [[Restoration Integrity]], [[Representational Authority]] ## Sources / Provenance - [W3C DID Resolution](https://www.w3.org/TR/did-resolution-1.0/). - [IETF Datatracker: Architectural Requirements for Supporting AI Agents on the Internet](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-daniel-ai-agent-internet-architecture-00) — individual Internet-Draft; see multi-hop delegation requirements. - [IETF Datatracker: Agent Identity Protocol](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-singla-agent-identity-protocol/) — individual Internet-Draft proposing decentralized identity and cryptographic delegation chains. - Fictional instrumentation: [[Person of Interest S5E13 — return 0]] and [[Halores]].