It can't actually; I had to create a systemd service that watched the config path and send a signal to reload the files. It roughly works, but it doesn't actually do the loop correctly.

However, the problem with self-modification is the tendency towards inoperable states. Does it automatically revert when a detrimental state is reached? How does it determine that a modification worked?

The paper shows that it can. Take note this seems to be someone’s experiment. If it’s not working for you that’s probably because it’s not a polished product.