Mind · Reasoning
Dialectic
Internal Thesis-Antithesis-Synthesis loop
Definition
Mechanism
Internal reasoning process where an agent pits a thesis against an antithesis to generate a Synthesis. Unlike Socratic questioning (which queries the user), Dialectic queries a simulated critic persona within the agent's own context. It instantiates a PerspectiveEnsemble where one voice holds the thesis and another uses SteelmanCheck to construct the antithesis.
Preconditions
- Initial Thesis generated
Postconditions
- Either a refined Synthesis naming what it resolved, or a refutation naming what defeated the thesis
Invariants
- Terminates in a Synthesis naming the contradiction it resolves, or a refutation naming the one that defeated the thesis.
- The antithesis identifies the specific claim of the thesis it contradicts.
Risks
Failure modes
Budget exhausted
the `rounds` cap is reached with neither a synthesis nor a refutation.
Strawman critic
the antithesis is too weak to improve the thesis. Low `temperature` produces this by setting.
Relationships
Builds on
Composes with
Qualify the opposition, then release only if the conclusion remains robust
References
Simulating diverse experts
Combining elements
Used by
References
Clarification before generation
Infrastructure
Reified conflict state
Maintain contradictions without premature resolution
Keep two interpretations that correct each other's blind spots, without merging them
Reference
Parameters
roundsInteger, [1, 5]- Number of thesis-antithesis-synthesis cycles
temperatureFloat, [0.0, 1.0]- Divergence of antithesis generation (0 = conservative, 1 = radical)