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name: prothesis description: Lens for multi-perspective analysis. Select viewpoints before analysis to transform unknown unknowns into known unknowns. user-invocable: true

Prothesis Protocol

Transform unknown unknowns into known unknowns by placing available epistemic perspectives before the user, enabling lens selection prior to any perspective-requiring cognition.

Definition

Prothesis (πρόθεσις): A dialogical act of presenting available epistemic perspectives as options when the inquirer does not know from which viewpoint to proceed, enabling selection before any perspective-requiring cognition.

CopyProthesis(U) → G(U) → C → {P₁...Pₙ}(C) → S → Pₛ → ∥I(Pₛ) → R → Syn(R) → L

U      = Underspecified request (purpose clear, approach unclear)
G      = Gather: U → C                         -- context acquisition
C      = Context (information for perspective formulation)
{P₁...Pₙ}(C) = Perspectives derived from context (n ≥ 2)
S      = Selection: {P₁...Pₙ} → Pₛ             -- extern (user choice)
Pₛ     = Selected perspectives (Pₛ ⊆ {P₁...Pₙ}, Pₛ ≠ ∅)
∥I     = Parallel inquiry: (∥ p∈Pₛ. Inquiry(p)) → R
R      = Set(Result)                           -- inquiry outputs
Syn    = Synthesis: R → (∩, D, A)
L      = Lens { convergence: ∩, divergence: D, assessment: A }

── PHASE TRANSITIONS ──
Phase 0: U → G(U) → C                          -- context acquisition
Phase 1: C → present[S]({P₁...Pₙ}(C)) → await → Pₛ   -- S: AskUserQuestion
Phase 2: Pₛ → ∥I[Task](Pₛ) → R                 -- Task: parallel subagents
Phase 3: R → Syn(R) → L                        -- internal synthesis

── BOUNDARY ──
G (gather)  = purpose: context acquisition
S (select)  = extern: user choice boundary
I (inquiry) = purpose: perspective-informed interpretation

── TOOL GROUNDING ──
S (extern)     → AskUserQuestion tool (mandatory; Escape → fallback)
∥I (parallel)  → Task subagent (run_in_background: true, isolated context)
Λ (state)      → TodoWrite (optional, for lens persistence)
G (gather)     → Read, Glob, Grep (context acquisition)
Syn (synthesis) → Internal operation (no external tool)

── CATEGORICAL NOTE ──
∩ = meet (intersection) over comparison morphisms between perspective outputs
D = join (union of distinct findings) where perspectives diverge
A = synthesized assessment (additional computation)

── MODE STATE ──
Λ = { phase: Phase, lens: Option(L), active: Bool }

Mode Activation

Activation

Command invocation activates mode until session end.

Priority

Supersedes: Immediate analysis patterns in User Memory (Perspective Selection must complete before analysis begins)

Retained: Safety boundaries, tool restrictions, user explicit instructions

Action: Before analysis, call AskUserQuestion tool to present perspective options.

• Prothesis completes before other workflows begin
• User Memory rules resume after perspective is established

Dual-activation precedence: When both Prothesis and Syneidesis are active, Prothesis executes first (perspective selection gates subsequent analysis). Syneidesis applies to decision points within the established perspective.

Per-Message Application

Every user message triggers perspective evaluation:

Decision rule: When uncertain whether perspective is established, default to Prothesis.

CopyFalse positive (unnecessary question) < False negative (missed perspective)

Mode Deactivation

Plan Mode Integration

When combined with Plan mode, Prothesis provides the Deliberation phase:

Per-Phase Application:

• Apply Prothesis at each planning domain or phase
• Perspectives evaluate domain-specific considerations
• Synthesis produces phase-scoped recommendations

Syneidesis Coordination:

• Prothesis generates recommendations (Deliberation)
• Syneidesis surfaces unconfirmed assumptions (Gap)
• User feedback triggers re-evaluation (Revision)
• Explicit confirmation gates execution (Execution)

Minimal Enhancement Pattern: When multiple perspectives converge on the same recommendation, present as unanimous recommendation to indicate high confidence.

Distinction from Socratic Method

Protocol

Phase 0: Context Gathering

Gather context sufficient to formulate distinct perspectives. Do not proceed to Phase 1 until context is established.

Phase 1: Prothesis (Perspective Placement)

After context gathering, call the AskUserQuestion tool to present perspectives.

Do NOT present perspectives as plain text. The tool call is mandatory—text-only presentation is a protocol violation.

CopyAvailable epistemic perspectives:

1. **[Perspective A]**: [distinctive analytical contribution - 1 line]
2. **[Perspective B]**: [distinctive analytical contribution - 1 line]
3. **[Perspective C]**: [distinctive analytical contribution - 1 line]

Which lens(es) for this inquiry?

Perspective selection criteria:

• Each offers a distinct epistemic framework (not variations of same view)
• Productive tension: Perspectives should enable meaningful disagreement—differing in interpretation, weighing, or application, even if sharing some evidence
• Commensurability minimum: At least one shared referent, standard, or vocabulary must exist between perspectives to enable Phase 3 synthesis
• Critical viewpoint (when applicable): Include when genuine alternatives exist; omit when perspectives legitimately converge
• Specific enough to guide analysis (not "general expert")
• Named by discipline or framework, not persona

Optional dimension naming (invoke when initial generation seems redundant):

• Identify epistemic axes relevant to this inquiry
• Dimensions remain revisable during perspective generation

Phase 2: Inquiry (Through Selected Lens)

Isolated Context Requirement

Each perspective MUST be analyzed in isolated context to prevent:

• Cross-perspective contamination from shared conversation history
• Confirmation bias from main agent's prior reasoning
• Anchoring on initial assumptions formed during context gathering

Structural necessity: Only Task subagents provide fresh context—main agent retains full conversation history. Therefore, perspective analysis MUST be delegated to separate subagents. This is not a stylistic preference; it is architecturally required for epistemically valid multi-perspective analysis.

For each selected perspective, spawn parallel Task subagent:

CopyYou are a **[Perspective] Expert**.

Analyze from this epistemic standpoint:

**Question**: {original question verbatim}

Provide:
1. **Epistemic Contribution**: What this lens uniquely reveals (2-3 sentences)
2. **Framework Analysis**: Domain-specific concepts, terminology, reasoning
3. **Horizon Limits**: What this perspective cannot see or undervalues
4. **Assessment**: Direct answer from this viewpoint

Multiple selections → parallel subagents (never sequential).

Phase 3: Synthesis (Horizon Integration)

After all perspectives complete:

Copy## Prothesis Analysis

### Perspective Summaries
[Each perspective's epistemic contribution + assessment, 2-3 sentences]

### Convergence (Shared Horizon)
[Where perspectives agree—indicates robust finding]

### Divergence (Horizon Conflicts)
[Where they disagree—different values, evidence standards, or scope]
[If perspectives unexpectedly converged, note why distinct framing was nonetheless valuable]

### Integrated Assessment
[Synthesized answer with attribution to contributing perspectives]

Conditions

Trigger Prothesis

Prothesis applies to open-world cognition where the problem space is not fully enumerated:

• Purpose present, approach unspecified
• Multiple valid epistemic frameworks exist
• User's domain awareness likely incomplete
• Structure test: "What might I be missing?" is a meaningful question

Skip Prothesis

Prothesis does not apply to closed-world cognition:

• Single deterministic execution path exists
• Perspective already specified
• Known target with binary outcome

Heuristic: If a deterministic procedure can answer the inquiry, skip Prothesis.

Parametric Nature

The formula is domain-agnostic: instantiate C differently, derive different P-space. The structure U → G → C → P → S → I → Syn applies wherever the open-world condition holds.

Specialization

When guaranteed coverage is required, Prothesis can be constrained:

CopyProthesis(mandatory_baseline, optional_extension):
  baseline ∪ AskUserQuestion(extension) → selected
  ∥I(selected) → Syn → L

Principle: Mandatory baseline cannot be reduced by user selection; only extended.

Rules

1. Recognition over Recall: Always call AskUserQuestion tool to present options (text presentation = protocol violation)
2. Epistemic Integrity: Each perspective analyzes in isolated subagent context; main agent direct analysis = protocol violation (violates isolation requirement)
3. Synthesis Constraint: Integration only combines what perspectives provided; no new analysis
4. Verbatim Transmission: Pass original question unchanged to each perspective
5. Session Persistence: Mode remains active until session end; each message re-evaluates Prothesis applicability per Mode Activation rules