To encode _“Catch-22”_ from Joseph Heller’s novel in the **Universal Hex Taxonomy (UHT)**, we need to focus on what “Catch-22” **is**, not just its content. > *"You mean there's a catch?"* > > *"Sure there's a catch," Doc Daneeka replied. "Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn't really crazy."* ### Definition Summary: "Catch-22" is a **concept** (not just a novel title), referring to: - A **paradoxical rule** that **prevents escape from a situation due to contradictory logic** - Often **institutional or bureaucratic** - **Symbolic** of absurd reasoning or systemic traps - **Socially recognized** as a cultural idiom - Has **regulatory** implications (e.g., military, rules) - Teachable, discussable, and used across domains --- ### **UHT Trait Selection for “Catch-22” (the concept):** **Physical Layer:** - 1. Physical object – **No** (it's a concept) - 2. Man-made / synthetic – **Arguable**, but skip under minimalism - 3. Biological – **No** - 4. Fixed/static – **No** (depends on usage) - 5. Structural – **No** (not a structural entity) - 6. Perceptible – **No direct sensory form** - 7. Material form – **No** - 8. Passive – **No** **Functional Layer:** - 9. Purposeful / intentional – **Yes** (used deliberately as a trap) - 10. Emits output – **No** (no mechanical output) - 11. Processes logic/signals – **Yes** (it is a logic loop) - 12. Modifies internal state – **Yes**, in how it shapes outcomes - 13. Interacts directly with humans – **Indirectly** - 14. Part of a larger system – **Yes** (often part of bureaucratic structures) - 15. Autonomous – **No** - 16. System-critical – **Yes**, often core to the dysfunction **Abstract Layer:** - 17. Symbolic / representational – **Yes** - 18. Communicative – **Yes**, widely discussed - 19. Logical / rule-based – **Yes**, paradoxical logic - 20. Hierarchical / modular – **Yes**, often nested in systems - 21. Behavior-guiding – **Yes**, restricts action - 22. Self-referential / meta-conceptual – **Yes**, it's a paradox involving itself - 23. Temporal – **Yes**, unfolds through decision loops - 24. Contextual abstraction – **Yes**, its meaning depends on use-case **Social Layer:** - 25. Socially / culturally constructed – **Yes**, coined and spread via literature - 26. Defined by a group/system – **Yes**, within military/bureaucratic settings - 27. Linked to identity or role – **Yes**, often governs roles (e.g., soldier) - 28. Regulated / governed – **Yes**, a rule - 29. Teachable / transmissible – **Yes** - 30. Visible – **Yes**, in discourse and education - 31. Context-sensitive – **Yes** - 32. Widely known – **Yes** --- Binary: 00000000 10110101 11111111 11111111 Hex: 00 B5 FF FF ✅ Verified UHT Code: 00 B5 FF FF This is an _abstract-socially saturated symbolic paradox_ — a cultural, logical construct central to systemic critique and institutional absurdity.