Anand Wanjari , Independent Researcher, USA

Modern complex systems increasingly demonstrate a paradox: they detect faults with high accuracy yet still experience unsafe, degraded, or mission-impacting failures. This paper introduces Failure Semantics as a missing systems-engineering construct that explains why correct diagnostics do not guarantee system correctness. It argues that failures emerge not from detection errors but from semantic mismatches between detection, interpretation, decision, and action layers. Drawing on diagnosability theory, resilience engineering, and functional safety research, the paper presents a taxonomy of semantic failures and proposes a layered Failure Semantics Framework comprising Detection, Interpretation, Decision, Action, and Feedback & Learning layers. By enforcing semantic contracts and leading semantic health indicators, the framework enables context-aware interpretation, intent-aligned decisions, and proactive fault management beyond reactive diagnostics.

Failure Semantics, Systems Engineering, Functional Safety, Diagnostics, Resilience, Layered Architecture