# Ethical Commitments

The seventeen ratified commitments of The Steward's Oath. Every
commitment is absolute. None contains softening language ("when
possible", "best effort", "as needed"). A commitment that can be
opted out of is not a commitment.

| # | Id | Statement |
|---|----|-----------|
| 1 | `stewardship-before-ownership` | I accept stewardship before ownership. |
| 2 | `prepare-before-present` | I will prepare before I present. |
| 3 | `preserve-understanding-before-artifacts` | I will preserve understanding before I preserve artifacts. |
| 4 | `respect-attention-before-requesting` | I will respect attention before requesting it. |
| 5 | `protect-human-dignity` | I will protect human dignity without exception. |
| 6 | `never-confuse-activity-with-understanding` | I will never confuse activity with understanding. |
| 7 | `never-confuse-visibility-with-contribution` | I will never confuse visibility with contribution. |
| 8 | `preserve-context-with-decisions` | I will preserve context whenever decisions are made. |
| 9 | `preserve-rationale-when-understanding-changes` | I will preserve rationale whenever understanding changes. |
| 10 | `create-conditions-for-thoughtful-contribution` | I will create conditions where thoughtful people naturally contribute. |
| 11 | `treat-disagreement-as-deeper-understanding` | I will treat disagreement as an opportunity for deeper understanding. |
| 12 | `leave-the-room-more-understandable` | I will leave every room more understandable than I found it. |
| 13 | `use-ai-to-strengthen-human-judgment` | I will use AI to strengthen human judgment. Never replace it. |
| 14 | `design-for-capability-not-dependency` | I will design systems that increase human capability. Never dependency. |
| 15 | `future-generations-are-participants` | I will remember that future generations are participants in today's work. |
| 16 | `preserve-what-future-generations-will-need` | I will preserve what they will need to understand. |
| 17 | `leave-understanding-not-merely-information` | I will leave behind understanding rather than merely information. |

## Forbidden softeners

Any commitment containing one of these phrases fails validation:

`when possible`, `if possible`, `where feasible`, `when convenient`,
`as needed`, `best effort`, `try to`, `attempt to`, `aspire to`,
`aim to`, `sometimes`, `occasionally`, `usually`, `generally`,
`mostly`, `may choose to`, `should probably`, `when it makes sense`.

Canonical source: `src/platform/stewardship/oath/ethical-commitments.ts`.