Universal Hex Taxonomy – Social Layer (v1.1)
Layer: Social (Bits 25–32)
Version: 1.1
Updated: 2025-07-23
Bit 25 –
Social Construct
Short Description: Exists by shared cultural agreement.
Expanded Definition:
The entity’s identity, function, or very existence arises from social consensus or cultural interpretation. It lacks a purely natural or material basis, and would not exist without collective agreement.
Examples: Marriage, Money, Nationality, Social norms
Bit 26 –
Institutionally Defined
Short Description: Classified by formal authorities or systems.
Expanded Definition:
The entity’s role or category is determined through codified institutional frameworks such as legal definitions, accreditation, or policy-based classification.
Examples: Citizenship, Diagnosis, Educational credential
Bit 27 –
Identity-Linked
Short Description: Tied to personal or group role/status.
Expanded Definition:
The entity functions as a marker or representation of identity — personal, occupational, cultural, or societal.
Examples: Uniform, Passport, Username, Tribal designation
Bit 28 –
Regulated
Short Description: Subject to formal or informal rules.
Expanded Definition:
The entity is constrained or governed by laws, norms, standards, or policies that dictate its usage, distribution, or behavior.
Examples: Currency, Medical device, Vehicle ID, Trademark
Bit 29 –
Economically Significant
Short Description: Holds value in systems of trade or resource allocation.
Expanded Definition:
The entity plays a meaningful role in economic systems — through utility, cost, exchange, or contribution to value chains.
Examples: NFT, Product design, Certification, Raw material
Bit 30 –
Politicised
Short Description: Structurally embedded in power or ideological systems.
Expanded Definition:
The entity’s identity or use is inseparable from political meaning, systems of authority, dissent, or ideological framing.
Examples: Protest sign, National flag, Campaign slogan, Policy symbol
Bit 31 –
Ritualised
Short Description: Enacted in formalized group behavior.
Expanded Definition:
The entity is structurally tied to ceremonial, repeated, or scripted social actions that carry shared meaning.
Examples: Wedding vow, Military salute, Religious procession
Bit 32 –
Ethically Significant
Short Description: Carries moral responsibility or consequence.
Expanded Definition:
The entity’s design, use, or interpretation is closely associated with ethical questions of harm, fairness, justice, or responsibility.
Examples: AI surveillance tool, Death penalty ruling, Whistleblower report