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ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY SA
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY SA
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY SA
Data sources: Datacite
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Beyond Retrieval: Layered Epistemic Agent Protocol for Memory Coherence

Beyond RAG: Long-Term Memory with Epistemic Coherence
Authors: Khimani, Aliasgar;

Beyond Retrieval: Layered Epistemic Agent Protocol for Memory Coherence

Abstract

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) treats memory as a retrieval problem: store content, embed it, fetch what is relevant. This suffices for static knowledge bases but breaks down for agents that learn over time, where stored information contradicts itself, beliefs evolve, and corrections must propagate through dependent reasoning. Current architectures commit a category error, applying uniform persistence semantics to information with fundamentally different epistemic status. We introduce Layered Epistemic Agent Protocol (LeAP), a framework that treats agent memory as an epistemology problem. LeAP formalizes stratified epistemic types with distinct evidence requirements: observations require no justification, claims require single sources, facts require corroboration, and beliefs require derivation chains. It defines warrant functions, coherence invariants, and a revision protocol satisfying AGM belief revision postulates. Coherence is decidable for finite stores. We present CITE (Context In Tiered Epistemology), a four-layer architecture implementing LeAP. Its layers (Memory, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Intelligence) enforce distinct persistence semantics: decay-based, supersession-based, evidence-gated, and session-scoped respectively. Write-time validation gates every entry by epistemic layer, preventing contradiction accumulation at the source rather than detecting it after retrieval. In a design validation on 500 annotated coding-agent sessions, CITE achieves 95% contradiction detection (vs 66% baseline) and 87% revision propagation (vs 12%).

Keywords

Artificial intelligence, Artificial Intelligence

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average