inferential-discipline

Applies evidence tagging, bias checks, and falsifier framing to strategic and quantitative claims.

Updated Jul 14, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/raian-pollock/operator-skills --skill inferential-discipline-raian-pollock
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: inferential-discipline
Source: https://github.com/raian-pollock/operator-skills/tree/main/inferential-discipline
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/raian-pollock/operator-skills --skill inferential-discipline-raian-pollock

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Strategic plans, ROI estimates, and research conclusions often rest on weak evidence, hidden biases, and unquantified uncertainty. This Skill enforces statistical and inferential hygiene so agents catch confirmation bias, survivorship bias, base-rate neglect, and causal confusion before drafting conclusions. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Evidence-Level Tagging: Every load-bearing claim gets tagged from [untested] up to [multi-method], with a hard rule that no commitment rests on weak evidence alone. - 8-Check Reasoning Framework: Named-bias checks, hypothesis framing with falsifiers and pre-registered predictions, numerical literacy (mean vs median, Simpson's paradox), causal reasoning, and uncertainty quantification with P50/P90 and confidence intervals. - Research Addendum: For agent-mediated research, mandates competing-hypotheses tournaments, adversarial dives, and ACH (Analysis of Competing Hypotheses) adjudication to counter subagent confirmation bias. - Use Case: Before finalizing a market-sizing memo that cites internal search-console data as demand signal, the Skill forces you to tag it [existing-rank-only], name the confirmation-bias risk, add a falsifier, and attach a visible inferential-check line. ## Quick Start Apply the inferential-discipline checks to this strategic plan and tag every demand and ROI claim with its evidence level before I approve it.

Frequently Asked Questions about inferential-discipline

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I reduce confirmation bias in AI agent research?▼

Run competing-hypotheses tournaments instead of testing one hypothesis in isolation, and pair a one-sided adversarial dive with a one-sided pro dive. Adjudicate results with an ACH evidence-by-hypothesis matrix, picking the hypothesis with the fewest inconsistent cells.

How to tag evidence quality in strategic plans?▼

Tag each load-bearing claim with an evidence level from [untested] up to [multi-method], covering internal data, search volume, stated preference, revealed preference, and shipped-cohort data. Never let a commitment rest on untested, existing-rank-only, or TAM-ceiling evidence alone.

What confidence interval does a small sample have?▼

At p=0.5, common sample sizes give roughly: n=15 ±26pp, n=25 ±20pp, n=50 ±14pp, n=100 ±10pp, n=200 ±7pp. Always report the CI width at the actual N alongside any point estimate from sample data.

When should this reasoning discipline be skipped?▼

Skip it on mechanical or build tasks where no quantitative or strategic claims are made, such as bug fixes with clear repro steps, single-file refactors, and typo fixes. It fires on any task touching demand, ROI, rankings, causal claims, or probability language.

Why do research subagents return biased results?▼

A subagent given a hypothesis to test almost always returns a credible pile of supporting evidence regardless of truth. The fix is neutral framing, mandatory sourcing of the strongest critics, pre-registered falsifiers, and orchestrator spot-checks of subagent confidence labels.