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Research draft

promise

vr.tr.promise · INF.MED

Let an agent explain promises as speech acts and commitments, relay philosophical, legal and social perspectives from academic sources with attribution, describe formal, commercial and religious promises, and distinguish promises from predictions, threats, vows and contracts.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain promises as speech acts and commitments, relay philosophical, legal and social perspectives from academic sources with attribution, describe formal, commercial and religious promises, and distinguish promises from predictions, threats, vows and contracts.

A declaration by which a person commits to doing or refraining from something in the future, creating an expectation and often a moral or legal obligation, in forms from personal and political promises such as election promises, to formal commitments such as the Scout Promise, commercial promises such as guarantees, warranties and value propositions, and religious promises such as the promises of God in Islam and other traditions; promising is analysed in philosophy as a speech act and in law as the basis of contract.

What it is for: Committing to future action.

It can be explain the concept; relay perspectives; describe kinds of promises; distinguish related acts.

Distinguishing features

Future commitment

Creates expectation

Moral or legal force

Speech act

What it looks like

Not a visible object; a declaration of commitment.

How it is recognised

Commitment to future action

Personal promises, election promises, Scout Promise, guarantees, warranties, value propositions, religious promises

A prediction forecasts; a threat commits to harm; a vow is solemn; a contract is legally binding exchange

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

declaration

is analysed as - in philosophy of language

speech act

underlies - in law

contract

is contrasted with - which does not commit

prediction

In practice

Families and kinds

personal promises

political and election promises

formal promises and oaths such as the Scout Promise

commercial promises such as guarantees, warranties and value propositions

religious promises such as the promises of God in Islam and covenant promises in other traditions

promises as the basis of contract law

Standards and regulation

Contract law on enforceable promises and consideration

Consumer law on guarantees and warranties

Electoral and advertising rules on claims

Failure modes and hazards

Confusing promises with predictions or contracts

Agents giving personal legal advice

Partisan framing of political promises

Disrespectful treatment of religious promises

Also called

value propositionPromise of God in Islamguaranteewarranty (general)Scout Promiseelection promiseBai'ah Taatvirginity pledgeextended warranty

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.promise

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What a promise is.

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is a promise, and how does it differ from a prediction, threat, vow and contract? definition
  2. Is the question about promises in general, a kind, a legal matter or a religious teaching? boundary

Kinds

Kinds.

Kinds

Kinds.

  1. What are election promises, the Scout Promise, guarantees, warranties, value propositions and religious promises? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Theory Philosophy and psychology.

Attribution.

Philosophy

Philosophy.

Philosophy

Philosophy.

  1. How do Hume, Austin, Searle, Scanlon and others explain the obligation to keep promises, with positions attributed? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Psychology

Psychology.

Psychology

Psychology.

  1. What does research show about promise keeping, trust and children s understanding of promises? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Law Law and commerce.

Regulation.

Contract

Contract law.

Contract

Contract.

  1. When is a promise legally enforceable, and what are consideration and promissory estoppel, in general terms? provenance
  2. Is the user asking about their own case, which needs a lawyer? boundary

Commerce

Guarantees and warranties.

Commerce

Commerce.

  1. What are guarantees, warranties and value propositions, and how are they regulated? provenance
  2. Which entry fits warranty? action
Context Politics and religion.

Context.

Politics

Political promises.

Politics

Politics.

  1. How are election promises tracked and assessed, with findings attributed? provenance
  2. Is the presentation neutral? boundary

Religion

Religious promises.

Religion

Religion.

  1. What are the promises of God in Islam and covenant promises in other traditions, as the traditions state them? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the specific tradition? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should warranty and election promise be separate primary entries?
  • How should philosophical and legal sources be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases from religion, commerce and scouting; should they be split off?