Assumption audit

Test the question before answering it.

Steps

1. Write the decision the user is actually trying to make. Quote the original question, then offer a neutral version without silently substituting it.

2. List only assumptions that could change the answer: definitions, causal claims, time period, population, constraints, or value judgments. Avoid a giant list of trivial uncertainties.

3. For each important assumption, identify what evidence would support or weaken it. Check available original sources; label unsupported assumptions rather than searching only for confirmation.

4. Separate observed association from a causal explanation. Look for alternative explanations and differences in measurement or sample.

5. Answer the corrected question conditionally where possible. State which original premise failed, what remains answerable, and the smallest missing fact needed to proceed.

Output

Original question | neutral question | assumption ledger | conditional answer | deciding unknown.