UP
The fact that there are useful statements about keys
that are valid at all levels of description {outside the
kernel of course} is what makes a system based on capabilities
powerful.
In a fundamental sense, there are exactly two ways that a
key can be used.
A key can be (_invoked).
Sections (p1,gates) and (p2,primary) describe what happens
at the kernel level of description when each specific type
of key is invoked.
A key can be passed as a parameter in the invocation
of another key.
This results in the key being copied. In Gnosis any
key can be copied.
Passing a key as a parameter can result in a great variety
of side effects. For example, passing a key to a domain
key with order code DOMAIN__SWAP+3 can influence the actions
taken by the domain in the ways described in (p1,memtree).
{arcane}Synergism
We define the term (_synergism) to mean a nontrivial
use of passing a key as a parameter. This means that what
happens when a key is invoked is a nontrivial function of
a key passed as a parameter, but without invoking the passed
key.
Synergism is similar to what other systems mean by "rights
amplification".
LOOSE END: Reconcile with Discrim. Exclude Peek, Unspec.
At the extended kernel level of description, the only
operations that exhibit synergism are order codes 1 through
11 on the domain tool {(p2,id-gate)}.
LOOSE END: what about memory keys, meters? Relate to
(p1,domserv).
At the level of description that excludes the domain
tool, the only operations that exhibit synergism are the
"identify" operations on domain creators {(p2,iden)}.
Theorem: If a key exhibits synergism at some level, it must
employ synergism at each lower level.
Meta Comment: The particular synergism
exhibited by the domain tool does not alter security arguments
for the following reason.
A domain creator {or any wielder of the domain-tool}
could keep a copy of every node key that he ever used the
domain-tool in conjunction with. If he kept this set of
keys he could do anything without the domain-tool that he
could do with it!
The domain creator needs DISCRIM inorder to do this. DISCRIM
exhibits the synergism indicated in the above theorem.
Here is the fundamental sense referred
to above:
At any level of description there are fundamental keys
that must be used {to do your job} and are not subject to
further analysis. The invocation of some of these keys require
key parameters.
While the ultimate result of passing keys may be their invocation,
at any level of description {including the kernel level}
some functions will be described only in terms of the results
of passing a key.
I {CRL} disagree. This doesn't seem to allow for synergism.
It follows that to precisely define a key
one must specify the result of invoking it, and the result
of passing it to {all} other keys.
To do the latter, we rely on {the other} key descriptions
to specify the result of passing all possible keys as parameters.
{arcane}Is this possible? Yes. For example, at the
level of description that excludes the snode's domain creator
{and domain tool, etc.}, the snode key cannot be involved
in synergism. This says something about the possible effects
of passing an snode key to other keys.
It never matters who uses the key. A key is
the same in the hands of any subject.
On the other hand, two keys together can be more powerful
than either one separately. {To exercise that power, one
key must be passed on an invocation of the other key, or
both must be passed on an invocation of a third key.} Example:
a domain key and the domain-tool key.