The Triadic Failure Principle: A Structural Account of System Breakdown Under Missing Components

Following the Triadic Completion Principle, which defines the minimal condition for system validity, this paper introduces the Triadic Failure Principle. A system fails structurally when any one of the three irreducible components—potential (♾️), anchor (●), or structure (■)—is absent. Each missing component produces a distinct and predictable failure mode. This framework provides a minimal, domain-neutral diagnostic model for system breakdown, operating prior to modelling, explanation, or optimisation.