Introduction

Many domains address values, knowledge, behavior, or outcomes. Far fewer examine whether participants are interpreting the same situation at all.

The General Theory of Interpretation sits beneath many established fields. It does not replace them; it identifies the interpretive layer that must remain stable for those fields to operate as intended.

This page situates interpretation in relation to adjacent disciplines. A formal definition of the General Theory of Interpretation is available here.

The graphic below contrasts the kinds of questions different fields are designed to answer and clarifies the distinct role interpretation plays in establishing the conditions under which those questions can be coherently evaluated in applied systems.