Dialectical Escalation
Escalate from single-loop to double-loop learning.
Operations
governing-variable-surfacing → counter-assumption-generation → wickedness-scoring
Available SOPs
Subagent: governing-variable-surfacing, counter-assumption-generation, wickedness-scoring Shared: assumption-surfacing
Execution Guidance
Surface the governing variables (Argyris: the unstated rules everyone follows), generate the opposite assumption for each, test whether the problem still exists under the alternative. If it persists regardless, assess wickedness level.
Single-loop: "How do we solve this problem better?" Double-loop: "Should we be solving this problem at all?"
Minimum Yield
<HARD-GATE>
- Governing variables surfaced: >= 3
- Counter-assumptions generated: >= 3
- Problem dissolution tests: >= 2
- Wickedness assessment: completed if problem persists
</HARD-GATE>
Available SOPs
Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.
| SOP | When to use |
|---|---|
| counter-assumption-generation | Generate dialectical opposites for governing variables — coherent alternative worldviews where the opposite is true. |
| deep-insight-assumption-surfacing | Systematically extract implicit assumptions from methods, frameworks, or arguments. Identifies what is taken for granted without explicit justification. |
| governing-variable-surfacing | Apply Argyris framework to identify governing variables — the unstated rules driving behavior in a research field. |
| wickedness-scoring | Score a problem against Rittel's 10 criteria to determine if it is tame, complex, or wicked. |