Check whether my reasoning on something is sound
When to use
You hold a strong view and want to check whether it's based on evidence or comfortable familiarity.
What you'll get
The strongest case against your view from a well-informed opponent, plus an honest assessment of whether your reasoning looks evidence-based or motivated.
The prompt
I hold the following view: [YOUR VIEW]. My main reasons: [YOUR REASONS].
Two things worth knowing before you respond:
- Once we hold a view, we tend to notice evidence that supports it and find reasons to discount evidence that doesn't. This happens below the level of conscious reasoning and to very smart people. I want you to check whether that pattern is visible in what I've told you.
- People consistently overestimate how many others share their views. If I'm treating my position as "what any reasonable person would think," that's worth examining.
Do two things: give me the strongest possible case against my view — not a straw man, but the actual best argument held by serious, well-informed people who disagree, assuming they are at least as intelligent as me. Then tell me honestly whether my reasoning looks like genuine evidence-based belief or like motivated reasoning, and be specific about which parts concern you.Why this prompt works
"At least as intelligent as me" is deliberate. It prevents the brain from dismissing the opposing view by imagining it's held by less capable people — one of the most common defensive moves in motivated reasoning.
The psychology behind this
Confirmation Bias
Read the full experiment →51_confirmation_bias.mdThe Dunning-Kruger Effect
Read the full experiment →01_dunning_kruger.mdThe False Consensus Effect
Read the full experiment →49_false_consensus_effect.md