counterintuition-probe

Files (2)

• SKILL.md
• openai.yaml · agents/

SKILL.md (first lines)

# Counterintuition Probe

## Goal

Attack the obvious answer and see whether a less intuitive explanation or move is stronger.

This skill does not oppose ideas for sport. It probes whether "what everyone assumes" is actually the best reading of the situation.

## When To Use

- the leading answer feels too obvious
- common sense is dominating the room
- the same explanation keeps winning without hard pressure
- a surprising alternative might explain more

## Scope Boundaries

In scope:

- identify the dominant assumption
- generate 1-3 serious counterintuitive alternatives
- compare them against the obvious answer
- recommend whether the obvious answer survives

Out of scope by default:

- contrarianism for its own sake
- endless philosophical debate
- random weird alternatives

## Workflow

1. State the obvious answer.
2. Name why it feels compelling.
3. Run a short guided reflection:
   - what would make the obvious answer fail
   - what assumption is carrying it most
4. Generate 1-3 counterintuitive alternatives.
5. Test which explains more with fewer assumptions.
6. Use `consider-the-opposite` explicitly against the preferred view.
7. Name what would falsify each view.
8. Recommend whether to keep, weaken, or replace the obvious answer.

## Output Contract

Always return:

1. `obvious_answer`
2. `why_it_feels_right`
3. `reflection_breakpoints`
4. `counterintuitive_alternatives`
5. `comparative_strength`
6. `falsifiers`
7. `recommended_position`
8. `recommended_followup`
9. `next_step`

## Guardrails

- Do not reward novelty alone.
- Do not keep weak alternatives alive just because they are surprising.
- Prefer falsifiable alternatives over clever rhetoric.
- Use counterintuition to improve judgment, not to create performative disagreement.

## Anti-Patterns

- contrarian theater
- shallow devil's advocacy
- weirdness without explanatory gain

From Alubiama/awesome-cognitive-skills, MIT.

More from Alubiama/awesome-cognitive-skills