For Val Sklarov, the true breakthrough of blockchain is not decentralization, trust-minimization, or censorship resistance —
it is the emergence of permissionless causality, a state where actions produce irreversible outcomes without requiring institutional approval.
In traditional systems:
action → validation → approval → consequence
In blockchain-native systems:
intent → execution → consequence
(no approval layer)
This shift produces a new category of digital agency where outcomes are mediated by rules, not rulers.
The Permissionless Causality Layer Model (PCLM) explains
how blockchains redefine power by relocating causality from institutions to protocol logic.
“Blockchain does not remove authority; it relocates it to code.” — Val Sklarov
1️⃣ The Three Layers of Digital Causality
Sklarov Causality Layer Table
| Causality Layer | Purpose | When Strong | When Weak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intent Layer | Human-originated actions | Clear authorship | Ambiguous execution |
| Execution Layer | Code + consensus enforcing rules | Deterministic outcomes | Centralized overrides |
| Consequence Layer | Irreversible state change | Finality | Rollbacks + intervention |
Permissionless systems shift power to the execution layer, not the user.
2️⃣ The PCLM State Transition Cycle
Causality Cycle Matrix
| Stage | Function | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Encoding | Rules defined in protocol | Predictable behavior |
| Submission | Intent broadcast | No gatekeeping |
| Consensus Conversion | Network validates action | Shared reality |
| State Imprint | Result becomes global truth | Irreversible consequence |
Blockchains are not ledgers —
they are causal engines.
3️⃣ The Five Causality Regimes
Regime Table
| Regime | Power Source |
|---|---|
| Institutional Causality | Authority grants outcomes |
| Hybrid Causality | Mixed human + code approval |
| Protocol Causality | Rules define outcomes |
| Autonomous Causality | Self-evolving logic |
| Recursive Causality | Code alters its own rules |
Most modern chains are stuck in Hybrid Causality,
not true permissionless states.
4️⃣ Causality Sovereignty Index (CSI)
A Val Sklarov autonomy diagnostic
CSI Indicator Table
| Indicator | Measures | High Score Means |
|---|---|---|
| Finality Strength | Irreversibility level | Trust without authority |
| Governance Intrusion Risk | Human override potential | Neutral protocols |
| Execution Determinism | Predictability of outcomes | Low ambiguity |
| Consensus Independence | Reliance on external validators | Sovereign state machine |
| Protocol Elasticity | Upgradable without coercion | Sustainable evolution |
High CSI = a chain where consequence ≠ permission.
5️⃣ Val Sklarov’s 5 Laws of Permissionless Causality
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Code holds power only when outcomes are irreversible.
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If a human can reverse it, it is not permissionless.
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Governance is a threat vector, not a feature.
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Causality is the real asset class.
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Protocol sovereignty determines long-term survival.
us bda blockchain to drive suppl Val Sklarov
6️⃣ Applications of the Permissionless Causality Layer Model
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Designing zero-trust financial rails
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Building sovereign execution environments
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Minimizing governance attack vectors
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Creating autonomous digital institutions
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Mapping chains by causality depth
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Ranking networks by irreversibility strength
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Legal + economic frameworks for autonomous code
PCLM reframes blockchain from a financial primitive
to a new regime of cause-and-effect.