A Formal Framework for Identity in Cyber and Other Universes

We present preliminary work on a framework for constructing identities that takes as its point of departure Barwise’s channel theory, founded on category theory, and allied work on situation semantics. The framework takes actions relating to identity as fundamental. Actions and events are situations, although situations can include larger context. Identity-related situations are classified under (identity) types, which can be fused. Identity-related activity is partitioned according to the ‘form of life’ involved into (identity) environments, similar to Barwise’s classifications. An identity-related action is often based on another identity-related action as a resource, and all these actions may reference events in an individual’s life. The result is a layered picture of identity-related situations. Identities retain reference to the situations from which they are constructed, so provenance, context, and narrative detail are retained. The category-theoretical constructs of Barwise’s channel theory, however, must be relaxed when identity in multiple environments is considered.