I guess I just don't understand how this works.

You have a clamp you are supposed to torque only to 5 newton-meters (3.69 foot-pounds). The seat post is in a steel seat tube. The clamp is around the steel seat tube. So how do you know that when the clamp bolt is torqued to spec, that the steel seat post is putting anywhere near enough force on the seat post???

In my mind... (maybe that's the problem) different seat tubes designs and materials are going to have a different clamping pressure on the seat post for that particular clamp when it's bolt is torqued to 5 n-m.

5 n-m is not very much torque. So I guess my question is whether the spec is actually for the clamp bolt or is it the force they don't want you to exceed on the carbon post?

It will make more sense for it to be the maximum force on the post, but how you'd measure that accurately with normal shop tools, I don't know.

Is the clamp carbon too? Then I'd understand the restriction, but I wouldn't use a carbon clamp on a steel tube. I'd be much happier to guess if I was tightening to the needed tightness a steel clamp on a steel tube with a carbon post.

But that's just me. No experience with carbon bike parts. Just love to add my 2 cents.