Category Analysis
Input: $ARGUMENTS (category name and list of guesses in that category)
Purpose
After /gg produces guesses organized by category, this procedure analyzes each category to determine which guesses apply to the specific user.
Principle: The system does the work. Don’t ask the user to verify - instead, generate verifiable implications and check them.
Step 1: Identify Category Type
| Category Type | Analysis Approach |
|---|---|
| Factual (current state) | Generate observable implications, check for evidence |
| Causal (X causes Y) | Check if mechanism is plausible, look for counterexamples |
| Predictive (future state) | Identify leading indicators, check track record |
| Normative (should/shouldn’t) | Surface underlying values, check for contradictions |
| Modal (possible/impossible) | Test constraints, identify blockers |
| Intentional (wants/intends) | Check consistency with stated goals and behavior |
| Constraint (limits) | Verify constraint exists, check if absolute or flexible |
| Method (how to) | Check prerequisites, resources, fit with preferences |
| Reason (why) | Trace to deeper reasons, check if terminal or instrumental |
Category type: [TYPE]
Step 2: For Each Guess, Generate Verification Tests
For each guess in the category:
GUESS: [the guess]
TYPE: [category type]
VERIFICATION APPROACH:
├── Observable implication 1: [if true, we'd expect to see X]
├── Observable implication 2: [if true, we'd expect to see Y]
├── Counter-evidence check: [if false, we'd expect to see Z]
└── Consistency check: [does this contradict other known facts?]
EVIDENCE AVAILABLE:
├── From user input: [what can be inferred]
├── From context: [what can be derived]
├── From defaults: [what is typical]
└── Unknown: [what we can't determine]
VERDICT: LIKELY / UNLIKELY / UNKNOWN / NEEDS_USER_INPUT
CONFIDENCE: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW
DERIVATION: [D: from what evidence]Step 3: Cluster Related Guesses
Group guesses that imply each other:
CLUSTER: [name]
├── If [guess A] → then likely [guess B, C]
├── If [guess D] → then unlikely [guess E, F]
└── Independent: [guesses that don't cluster]This reduces the number of things to verify - verifying one can verify/eliminate many.
Step 4: Identify Discriminating Questions
Find questions where:
- The answer would verify/eliminate multiple guesses
- The answer is easily observable or statable
- The system can provide options rather than open-ended
DISCRIMINATING QUESTION: [question]
├── If answer is A: verifies [guesses], eliminates [guesses]
├── If answer is B: verifies [guesses], eliminates [guesses]
└── If answer is C: verifies [guesses], eliminates [guesses]
OPTIONS TO PRESENT:
├── Option A: [concrete choice]
├── Option B: [concrete choice]
├── Option C: [concrete choice]
└── Other: [user can specify]Step 5: Apply Category-Specific Analysis
For CONSTRAINT Categories
| Constraint | Exists? | Absolute? | Workaround? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [constraint 1] | YES/NO/UNKNOWN | YES/NO | [if yes, what] |
| [constraint 2] | YES/NO/UNKNOWN | YES/NO | [if yes, what] |
For METHOD Categories
| Method | Prerequisites Met? | Resources Available? | Fits Preferences? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [method 1] | YES/NO/PARTIAL | YES/NO/PARTIAL | YES/NO/UNKNOWN |
| [method 2] | YES/NO/PARTIAL | YES/NO/PARTIAL | YES/NO/UNKNOWN |
Better option check: For each method the user hasn’t mentioned, check if it fits their preferences better than what they’re considering.
For REASON Categories
| Reason | Terminal? | Serves What? | Consistent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [reason 1] | YES/NO | [higher goal] | YES/NO |
| [reason 2] | YES/NO | [higher goal] | YES/NO |
Trace each reason until hitting a terminal value or circularity.
For CAUSAL Categories
| Causal Claim | Mechanism? | Evidence? | Counterexamples? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [claim 1] | [how it works] | [supporting] | [contradicting] |
| [claim 2] | [how it works] | [supporting] | [contradicting] |
For FACTUAL Categories
| Factual Claim | Observable? | Observed? | Source? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [claim 1] | YES/NO | YES/NO/NA | [O: source] |
| [claim 2] | YES/NO | YES/NO/NA | [O: source] |
For ERROR Categories (Pre-Mortem)
| Error Type | Plausible Here? | Evidence For? | Evidence Against? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [error 1] | YES/NO | [what suggests this error] | [what suggests not] |
| [error 2] | YES/NO | [what suggests this error] | [what suggests not] |
Step 6: Generate Summary
## CATEGORY: [name]
### Verified Guesses (High Confidence)
[list with derivation markers]
### Likely Guesses (Medium Confidence)
[list with derivation markers]
### Unknown Guesses (Need Input)
[list with specific options to present]
### Eliminated Guesses (Low Probability)
[list with reasons for elimination]
### Clusters Identified
[list of guess clusters and their implications]
### Better Options Surfaced
[methods/approaches user may not have considered that fit their preferences]Step 7: Preference Integration
If user preferences are known (from /pre):
| Guess | Matches Preference? | Which Preference? | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| [guess 1] | YES/NO/PARTIAL | [preference name] | STRONG/WEAK |
| [guess 2] | YES/NO/PARTIAL | [preference name] | STRONG/WEAK |
Rank guesses by preference match.
Output Format
## CATEGORY ANALYSIS: [category name]
### Input
[list of guesses in this category]
### Analysis Type
[category type and analysis approach used]
### Results
VERIFIED (High Confidence):
1. [guess] [D: derivation]
2. [guess] [D: derivation]
LIKELY (Medium Confidence):
1. [guess] [D: derivation]
UNKNOWN (Need Input - Options Provided):
1. [guess]
- If A: [implication]
- If B: [implication]
- If C: [implication]
ELIMINATED:
1. [guess] - [reason]
### Clusters
[cluster summaries]
### Better Options Identified
[options user may not have considered]
### Recommended Next
[which guess to verify first and how]Execution Checklist
- Category type identified
- Each guess has verification tests
- Clusters identified
- Discriminating questions generated with options
- Category-specific analysis applied
- Summary generated
- Better options surfaced
Next Procedure
For each UNKNOWN guess with options: → INVOKE: /pre to match options to user values
For better options identified: → INVOKE: /boc to compare against user’s current choice
Execute now: Analyze the category of guesses provided.