Crystallization Theory: A Conceptual Framework for Knowledge Validation
Multi-Contributor Knowledge Validation in Federated Cognitive Networks
Ricky Valentine (Richard Valentine) · 2026-01-05
Abstract
Existing AI memory systems excel at centralized contexts but struggle when knowledge is distributed across a network of contributors. This paper introduces Crystallization Theory, a conceptual framework for validating knowledge in decentralized networks. We propose three components: 1) Crystallization Theory, a mechanism for knowledge to emerge through confirmation and decay; 2) Communal Inference Reinforcement (CIR), rewarding inference from shared signals over private context; and 3) Core Memory, a two-layer architecture separating agent-discovered patterns from human-provided insight.