Latent–Record–Prune (LRP): A Pre-Decision Control Substrate for Coherent Systems

This paper introduces Latent–Record–Prune (LRP), a minimal control substrate for complex systems operating under uncertainty. Unlike classical control and optimization-based architectures, LRP stabilizes systems by regulating what may be expressed, what is recorded without interpretation, and what internal structure must be removed to preserve coherence. The substrate is task-agnostic, learning-agnostic, and controller-independent, and is designed to operate beneath higher-level control logic. LRP formalizes three mechanisms—latent capability gating, non-semantic event recording, and coherence-driven pruning—that are necessary for long-term stability in adaptive systems. A minimal reference specification and a safe integration model for classical controllers are provided.