Entrenchment (generative entrenchment)
One-liner: When past constraints become load-bearing for later development — costly or transformative to change.
In Juarrero’s usage
Paired with sedimentation (history stored in structure). Generative entrenchment (Wimsatt-adjacent lineage in CCE) explains path dependence as architecture, not mere nostalgia. Platforms and organisms “remember” via entrenched constraints.
Not to confuse with
- Stubborn personality only
- Any tradition automatically good
Everyday example
A foundational database schema everything depends on; rewriting it is a phase change for the product.
Related
Best local sources
- REPORT §4.4 · CCE chs. 9–10 · claim C010