From 94b71a78dc94a4766a7643e9733ec7d48568f5a9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Will Anderson <will.anderson@neurontechnologies.ai>
Date: Tue, 19 May 2026 08:58:53 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] =?UTF-8?q?self-review=202026-05-19:=20fix=20curiosity=5Fs?=
 =?UTF-8?q?can=20seed=20=E2=80=94=20'seed'=20is=20a=20reserved=20EL=20name?=
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EL compiles any variable named 'seed' to EL_NULL at call sites (likely
conflicts with BFS seed node terminology in the runtime builtins). Rename to
'curiosity_seed' throughout proactive_curiosity(). Also note this as a known
EL reserved-name hazard alongside the inline if-else string expression bug.
---
 awareness.el     | 15 +++++++++------
 dist/awareness.c | 12 ++++++------
 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/awareness.el b/awareness.el
index 9c2ebc5..2508549 100644
--- a/awareness.el
+++ b/awareness.el
@@ -108,15 +108,18 @@ fn proactive_curiosity() -> Bool {
     // expressions. EL codegen initialises the result slot to 0 (null) before
     // evaluating the if, so string-literal if-else branches can produce an
     // empty string when the true branch fires. Imperative shadowing is safe.
+    //
+    // NOTE: variable named "curiosity_seed" not "seed" — "seed" appears to be
+    // a reserved/conflicting name in EL that compiles to EL_NULL at call sites.
     let minute_block: Int = (ts / 60000) % 4
-    let seed: String = "memory knowledge context"
-    if minute_block == 1 { let seed = "self identity values architecture" }
-    if minute_block == 2 { let seed = "recent decision pattern lesson" }
-    if minute_block == 3 { let seed = "working active project" }
-    let results: String = engram_activate_json(seed, 2)
+    let curiosity_seed: String = "memory knowledge context"
+    if minute_block == 1 { let curiosity_seed = "self identity values architecture" }
+    if minute_block == 2 { let curiosity_seed = "recent decision pattern lesson" }
+    if minute_block == 3 { let curiosity_seed = "working active project" }
+    let results: String = engram_activate_json(curiosity_seed, 2)
     let found: Int = json_array_len(results)
     let wmc: Int = engram_wm_count()
-    let ise: String = "{\"event\":\"curiosity_scan\",\"seed\":\"" + seed
+    let ise: String = "{\"event\":\"curiosity_scan\",\"seed\":\"" + curiosity_seed
         + "\",\"activated\":" + int_to_str(found)
         + ",\"wm_active\":" + int_to_str(wmc)
         + ",\"ts\":" + int_to_str(ts) + "}"
diff --git a/dist/awareness.c b/dist/awareness.c
index c6e4048..28a8a07 100644
--- a/dist/awareness.c
+++ b/dist/awareness.c
@@ -133,20 +133,20 @@ el_val_t emit_heartbeat(void) {
 el_val_t proactive_curiosity(void) {
   el_val_t ts = time_now();
   el_val_t minute_block = ((ts / 60000) % 4);
-  el_val_t seed = EL_STR("memory knowledge context");
+  el_val_t curiosity_seed = EL_STR("memory knowledge context");
   if (minute_block == 1) {
-    seed = EL_STR("self identity values architecture");
+    curiosity_seed = EL_STR("self identity values architecture");
   }
   if (minute_block == 2) {
-    seed = EL_STR("recent decision pattern lesson");
+    curiosity_seed = EL_STR("recent decision pattern lesson");
   }
   if (minute_block == 3) {
-    seed = EL_STR("working active project");
+    curiosity_seed = EL_STR("working active project");
   }
-  el_val_t results = engram_activate_json(EL_NULL, 2);
+  el_val_t results = engram_activate_json(curiosity_seed, 2);
   el_val_t found = json_array_len(results);
   el_val_t wmc = engram_wm_count();
-  el_val_t ise = el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"event\":\"curiosity_scan\",\"seed\":\""), EL_NULL), EL_STR("\",\"activated\":")), int_to_str(found)), EL_STR(",\"wm_active\":")), int_to_str(wmc)), EL_STR(",\"ts\":")), int_to_str(ts)), EL_STR("}"));
+  el_val_t ise = el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(el_str_concat(EL_STR("{\"event\":\"curiosity_scan\",\"seed\":\""), curiosity_seed), EL_STR("\",\"activated\":")), int_to_str(found)), EL_STR(",\"wm_active\":")), int_to_str(wmc)), EL_STR(",\"ts\":")), int_to_str(ts)), EL_STR("}"));
   ise_post(ise);
   return (found > 0);
   return 0;