What is symbolic grounding?
A symbol is grounded when it is bound to persistent constraints, consequences, memory and action rather than floating as a label.
Symbolic grounding asks how a symbol becomes more than a token. A symbol is grounded when it is tied to stable constraints, consequences, actions, memories and expectations inside a system.
Ungrounded symbols
An ungrounded symbol may be fluent and familiar, but it floats. It can be used without the system knowing what would make the symbol true, false, dangerous, relevant or repairable.
Grounding through constraint
In the Mirror Programme, grounding is treated as a persistence problem. A symbol becomes meaningful when it survives contact with constraint and can guide future behaviour, correction and memory.
Mirror-1
Mirror-1 is the first public software line exploring recursive symbolic grounding and observer anchoring in executable form.