Proof Semantics

What a Sealed Fact Proves

• ✓A specific actor declared specific content at a specific time
• ✓The declaration was received by Horizon and sealed with an authoritative timestamp
• ✓The declaration has not been modified since sealing
• ✓The declaration's position in the timeline is authentic

What a Sealed Fact Does NOT Prove

• ×That the declaration is true
• ×That the actor actually performed the described action
• ×That the decision was correct or appropriate
• ×That external events actually occurred as described
• ×That the actor had authority to make the decision

The Declaration Boundary

Horizon seals declarations, not reality. The fact that someone declared "I approved the emergency shutdown" does not prove the shutdown occurred or was appropriate. It proves that person declared it at that moment.

Evidentiary Value

Sealed facts establish a reliable factual foundation for further investigation. They answer "what was declared and when" with mathematical certainty. The question "was it true" requires additional context outside Horizon's scope.

Audit Implications

Auditors should treat sealed facts as authoritative records of declarations, not as proof of underlying events. The chain integrity proves the timeline is authentic; the declarations require independent corroboration.