# Encode Epistemic Decisions > If a decision matters, it must become durable and inspectable. ## Description If epistemic decisions are not encoded, they will be re-litigated. Humans do this slowly; agents do it instantly. The problem is the same: settled ground doesn't stay settled unless it is made durable. ODD exists to encode decisions once so reasoning compounds instead of resetting. ## Content **Canon v0.1** ### What Counts as "Epistemic" - scope closures - boundary definitions - refusal conditions - default assumptions - what "done" means - what qualifies as evidence ### What This Forces - record decisions at the moment of closure - make decisions inspectable by others (including agents) - prefer stable language over improvisation ### What This Forbids - relying on memory, vibes, or "we talked about it" - repeated arbitration of settled ground - treating "agreement" as a durable artifact ### Evidence Requirements A decision record must include at least: - what was decided - what was rejected (and why) - what evidence supported the decision (or that it remains a hypothesis) --- ## See Also - [Decision Record Standard](/canon/decisions/decision-record-standard.md) - [Definition of Done](/canon/constraints/definition-of-done.md) - [Epistemic Modes](/canon/definitions/epistemic-modes.md) - [Verification and Evidence](/canon/constraints/verification-and-evidence.md)