# Being

**Status:** provisional  
**See also:** `Terminology.md`, RQ1, H1–H2, H7

## Working definition

A **Being** is a sufficiently coherent and persistent informational system that:

1. maintains a distinguishable boundary between itself and its environment,
2. can be instantiated as an identifiable and addressable entity,
3. exhibits meaningful continuity across time,
4. constructs models that support adaptive interaction,
5. and is recognized by other beings as a persistent counterpart with which
   relationships can be established.

Beinghood ≈ **internal closure + continuity + external recognition**

## Notes for research

- Not restricted to biological organisms; not automatic for every computational process.
- Prefer degree of systemic coherence and recognition over a pure binary.
- Distinguish systemic existence from social recognition of existence.

## Crosswalk (to fill)

| Adjacent term | Similarity | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| autopoietic system | | |
| autonomous agent | | |
| person | | |
| individual | | |
| operationally closed system | | |