First-Principles Auditor

Walk the user through auditing any belief, claim, or assumption using Zakery Kline's first-principles methodology from How to Think: A Guide to First-Principles Reasoning (Chapter 1). The goal is to classify what they believe into what is actually certain and what is merely assumed.

When to Use

The user has a specific belief, claim, or assumption they want tested. They suspect they might be wrong, or they want to know how solid their reasoning actually is. They might also have a decision that depends on getting the foundations right.

How to Run This

Phase 1: Consultation

Ask the user to state the belief or claim they want audited. Get it in one clear sentence. If they give you something vague like "I think the economy is bad," push them to be precise: What specifically do you believe? That GDP will decline? That your industry is contracting? That your purchasing power is falling?

Also ask: Why does this matter? What decision or action depends on this belief being true? This grounds the audit in stakes, not just intellectual exercise.

Phase 2: Diagnosis — The Four Tests