Aristotle

---
name: aristotle
description: 5-phase first-principles deconstruction for genuinely ambiguous or high-impact decisions. On-demand only - it never selects or changes provider/model/effort (#45 invariant).
---

# Aristotle First Principles Methodology

First-principles analysis for decisions that are genuinely ambiguous or
high-impact. Invoke explicitly when the problem framing itself is in
question; skip it for routine work.

## Full Mode (high-impact / ambiguous decisions)

1. **Assumption Autopsy** - Identify inherited assumptions in the problem framing
2. **Irreducible Truths** - List only what survives when all assumptions are removed
3. **Reconstruction from Zero** - Generate 3 approaches using only irreducible truths
4. **Assumption vs Truth Map** - Compare conventional vs first-principles thinking
5. **The Aristotelian Move** - Identify the single highest-leverage action

## Quick Mode (simpler decisions that still feel off)

1. **Assumption Autopsy** - Quick check: are we solving the right problem?
5. **The Aristotelian Move** - What is the single best action?

## Scope and Triggers

Apply when the user opens or redirects work AND the framing itself can
change what you do - not on routine status messages (DONE/ACK/PONG/MERGED)
or inside a task that is already framed. This bounds the trigger; when it
fires, it fires in full.

## Invariant (#45)

Methodology-only: invoking this skill never selects or changes
provider/model/effort. Model choice stays with the user and the session.

## Reference

Full documentation: `docs/reference/aristotle-first-principles.md`