Tradition Self-Correcting?

Orthodox wrote: "Tradition is Alive and Self-correcting," which suggests that Tradition makes mistakes and then corrects those mistakes. Perhaps Orthodox meant that Tradition corrects mistakes that various people make.

I've phrased my question in the alternative, to avoid wasting a question on a semantic issue.

A) How can the former be true, if we are to "seek no farther" once something has been identified as tradition? Isn't the only way that Tradition can self-correct is by seeking farther (i.e. for the Holy Spirit's guidance or whatever the correction mechanism may be)?

Or, alternatively,

B) If the latter is true: how can we distinguish between truth and error using Tradition? To reword that latter alternative question for clarity, how does a person know whether his view is a mistake condemned by Tradition, a matter not addressed by Tradition, or a matter approved by Tradition? Is it simply by asking one's priest/arch-priest/bishop?

-Turretinfan