Reasoning Tools Knowledge Base
A comprehensive, structured library of transferable reasoning tools extracted from 34 high-value domains.
How to Use
By Problem Type
Browse domains/ organized by what you're trying to do:
01-decision-under-uncertainty/- Making choices with incomplete information02-persuasion-influence/- Changing minds and shaping behavior03-creative-generation/- Producing novel ideas and solutions04-complex-systems/- Understanding interconnected systems05-skill-mastery/- Learning and developing expertise06-coordination-cooperation/- Organizing groups and aligning incentives07-truth-seeking/- Finding and validating claims08-conflict-competition/- Strategic interaction and adversarial reasoning09-resource-allocation/- Distributing limited resources optimally10-pattern-recognition/- Identifying structures and regularities
By Tool Name
Browse tools/by-tool-name/ for alphabetical access to all reasoning primitives.
By Application
Browse tools/by-application/ for tools grouped by use case.
Cross-Reference Matrix
See matrix.md for a complete cross-reference of all tools mapped to domains.
Each Tool Includes
- What: The core concept
- Why it matters: What problem it solves
- The key move: The actual mental operation
- Classic application: Where it originated
- Surprising application: Evidence it transfers
- Failure modes: When it misleads
- Go deeper: Citations to serious literature