Ok, so one place the predictions of these theories might come apart is that my theory suggests a norm against impersonating medics, whereas I think yours doesn’t (although maybe I’m just not seeing it; I don’t think I would have said that avoiding torture of prisoners was part of protecting the mechanisms of ending war, although I do kind of see what you mean). I haven’t looked into it at all, but if that norm has emerged independently multiple times that would be suggestive in favour of the broader theory; whereas if it has just emerged once it looks perhaps more potentially-idiosyncratic, which would be suggestive in favour of the narrower theory.
Ok, so one place the predictions of these theories might come apart is that my theory suggests a norm against impersonating medics, whereas I think yours doesn’t (although maybe I’m just not seeing it; I don’t think I would have said that avoiding torture of prisoners was part of protecting the mechanisms of ending war, although I do kind of see what you mean). I haven’t looked into it at all, but if that norm has emerged independently multiple times that would be suggestive in favour of the broader theory; whereas if it has just emerged once it looks perhaps more potentially-idiosyncratic, which would be suggestive in favour of the narrower theory.
Thanks, I like this crux/operationalization!