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Pipeline Terminology

This document defines the standardized terminology for the ProEthica extraction pipeline.

Hierarchy

Pipeline
├── Step (1-4) - Major pipeline stages (Step 5 planned)
│   ├── Pass (1-2) - Sub-extraction within Steps 1-3
│   │   └── Concept Types - Entity categories extracted
│   ├── Reconcile - Entity deduplication between Steps 3 and 4
│   └── Phase (2A-4) - Sub-stages within Step 4 only

Term Definitions

Term Scope Definition
Step Pipeline Major pipeline stage (1-4, with Step 5 planned). Each step produces distinct outputs.
Pass Steps 1-3 Sub-extraction within a step. Pass 1 extracts from Facts section; Pass 2 extracts from Discussion section.
Reconcile Between Steps 3-4 Deduplication of overlapping entities across sections and passes before synthesis.
Phase Step 4 only Sub-stages of synthesis operations. Phases 2A-2E, 3, and 4 perform different analysis tasks.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Step 1: Contextual Framework

Property Value
Color Blue (#3b82f6)
Pass 1 Extract from Facts section
Pass 2 Extract from Discussion section

Concepts Extracted:

Concept Code Description
Roles R Professional positions and stakeholders
States S Situational conditions and circumstances
Resources Rs Referenced standards, codes, regulations

Step 2: Normative Requirements

Property Value
Color Purple (#8b5cf6)
Pass 1 Extract from Facts section
Pass 2 Extract from Discussion section

Concepts Extracted:

Concept Code Description
Principles P Abstract ethical standards
Obligations O Concrete professional duties
Constraints Cs Prohibitions and limitations
Capabilities Ca Permissions and available options

Step 3: Temporal Dynamics

Property Value
Color Teal (#14b8a6)
Extraction Single pass using LangGraph orchestration

Step 3 extracts from the full case text (both Facts and Discussion) as a unified temporal analysis, unlike Steps 1-2 which use separate passes.

Concepts Extracted:

Concept Code Description
Actions A Professional responses and decisions
Events E Precipitating occurrences and triggers

The extraction also produces causal chains (NESS test analysis), Allen temporal relations (OWL-Time standard), and a timeline sequencing actions and events.

Reconcile

Between Steps 3 and 4, entity deduplication resolves overlapping entities across sections and passes. Reconcile can run in auto mode (batch pipeline) or interactive mode (manual review).

Step 4: Whole-Case Synthesis

Property Value
Color Slate/Purple gradient
Input Entities from Steps 1-3 + case text

Step 4 operates on both previously extracted entities and case text. It produces 8 additional entity types beyond the base 9.

Phases:

Phase Name Description Parallelism
2A Code Provisions NSPE code reference extraction 2A runs in parallel with 2B
2B Precedent Cases Precedent case reference extraction 2B runs in parallel with 2A
2C Questions and Conclusions Ethical questions and board conclusions After 2A
2D Transformation Analysis Case transformation classification 2D runs in parallel with 2E
2E Rich Analysis Causal-normative links, question emergence, resolution patterns 2E runs in parallel with 2D (3 sub-tasks)
3 Decision Point Synthesis E1-E3 algorithmic composition + LLM fallback Sequential
4 Narrative Construction Timeline and scenario seed Sequential

Step 4 Sub-navigation (sidebar labels):

Label URL Description
Extraction /step4 Phase overview and re-run controls
Review /step4/entities Entity review and OntServe commit
Full View /step4/review Tabbed view: Entities, Flow, Provisions, Precedents, Q&C, Analysis, Decisions, Narrative

Step 5: Interactive Scenario (Planned)

Step 5 is planned for interactive scenario exploration. Currently displays a placeholder page.

Processing Order

The pipeline executes in strict order:

  1. Step 1: Pass 1 (Facts) then Pass 2 (Discussion). Within each pass: S and Rs run in parallel after R completes.
  2. Step 2: Pass 1 (Facts) then Pass 2 (Discussion). Within each pass: P then O sequentially, then Cs and Ca run in parallel.
  3. Step 3: Single unified extraction using LangGraph orchestration.
  4. Reconcile: Deduplicate overlapping entities across all passes.
  5. OntServe Commit: Commit Steps 1-3 entities to ontology.
  6. Step 4: Phases 2A||2B, then 2C, then 2D||2E, then Phase 3, then Phase 4.
  7. OntServe Commit: Commit Step 4 entities to ontology.

Steps 1-2 extract from both Facts and Discussion sections via separate passes. Step 3 extracts from the full case text. Step 4 synthesizes across all extracted entities and case text.

Visual Color Scheme

Step Colors

Step Name Hex Bootstrap Equivalent
1 Contextual #3b82f6 Blue
2 Normative #8b5cf6 Purple
3 Temporal #14b8a6 Teal
4 Synthesis #64748b Slate

Entity Type Colors

Steps 1-3 (9 base concepts):

Entity Code Hex Bootstrap Class
Role R #0d6efd bg-primary
State S #6f42c1 bg-purple
Resource Rs #20c997 bg-teal
Principle P #fd7e14 bg-orange
Obligation O #dc3545 bg-danger
Constraint Cs #6c757d bg-secondary
Capability Ca #0dcaf0 bg-info
Action A #198754 bg-success
Event E #ffc107 bg-warning

Step 4 (8 additional entity types):

Entity Phase Description
Code Provision Reference 2A NSPE code sections cited
Precedent Case Reference 2B BER cases referenced in discussion
Ethical Question 2C Questions posed to the Board
Ethical Conclusion 2C Board's formal determinations
Canonical Decision Point Phase 3 Points where ethical choices must be made
Resolution Pattern 2E How tensions are resolved
Causal-Normative Link 2E Connections between causes and norms
Question Emergence 2E How ethical questions arise from case facts