/socratic - Socratic Question Generation

Generate deep, probing Socratic questions using the Three-Dimensional Attack pattern to challenge claims and explore assumptions systematically.

Usage

/socratic <claim to challenge>
/socratic --domain <domain> <claim>
/socratic --audience <level> <claim>

Examples

/socratic "Microservices are just distributed objects"
/socratic --domain security "Input validation is sufficient for security"
/socratic --audience expert "Static typing is just documentation"

What This Command Does

Analyzes the claim - Identifies key assumptions and implications
Generates three questions - Using empirical, computational, and formal dimensions
Quality checks - Ensures questions meet effectiveness thresholds
Provides context - Explains the strategic approach

The Three-Dimensional Attack

Dimension 1: Empirical Challenge

Challenges with observable contrary evidence
References historical patterns and real systems
Grounds abstract claims in measurable reality

Dimension 2: Computational Challenge

Probes tractability and complexity
Questions cognitive feasibility
Explores composition and scaling properties

Dimension 3: Formal Challenge

Demands precise relationship definitions
Uses mathematical terminology
Creates logical forks that prevent vague answers

Quality Standards

Generated questions target:

Deflection Resistance: ≥7/10 (prevents vague responses)
Logical Trap: ≥7/10 (forces genuine engagement)
Challenge Strength: ≥7/10 (actually challenges the claim)
Overall Effectiveness: ≥7.5/10

Options

--domain <domain> - Optimize for specific domain (software, security, architecture, devops, ml, database, pl-design, testing, concurrency, api-design)
--audience <level> - Adjust complexity (beginner, intermediate, expert, research)
--quick - Generate shorter, more direct questions
--formal - Emphasize formal/mathematical approach
--empirical - Emphasize historical/practical evidence

Output Format

CLAIM ANALYSIS:
- Key assumption identified
- Observable implications
- Formal relationship type

QUESTION SET (Three-Dimensional Attack):

1. [EMPIRICAL] If [claim], why does [contrary evidence] exist?
   Strategy: Historical patterns, named systems, temporal analysis

2. [COMPUTATIONAL] Does [approach] require [intractable reasoning]?
   Strategy: Complexity analysis, cognitive load, composition properties

3. [FORMAL] Is the relationship [precise type]? What's lost?
   Strategy: Mathematical precision, logical forks, property analysis

QUALITY ASSESSMENT:
- Deflection Resistance: X/10
- Logical Trap: X/10
- Challenge Strength: X/10
- Overall Score: X/10 [PASS/EXCELLENT]

USAGE GUIDANCE:
- When to use these questions
- Expected response patterns
- Follow-up directions

When to Use

✅ Perfect for:

Challenging equivalence claims ("X is just Y")
Exploring absolutist statements ("always", "never")
Deepening technical understanding
Surfacing hidden assumptions
Knowledge-building conversations

❌ Not ideal for:

Simple factual questions
Time-sensitive decisions
Consensus-building
Purely aesthetic debates

Integration Points

With Knowledge Builder

Use /socratic to generate probing questions for deep topic exploration and assumption surfacing.

With UltraThink

In Step 1 (Requirement Analysis), use /socratic to challenge unclear requirements and force precision.

With Code Review

Challenge architectural decisions and design trade-offs with Socratic questions.

Pattern Reference

This command implements the Socratic Questioning Pattern documented in .claude/context/DISCOVERIES.md.

Status: Validation phase (1/3 uses completed) Effectiveness: 8.6/10 average across dimensions Next: 2 more successful uses before promoting to PATTERNS.md

Resources

Full Template: .claude/runtime/logs/20251018_socratic_questioning/SOCRATIC_TEMPLATE.md
Quick Reference: .claude/runtime/logs/20251018_socratic_questioning/QUICK_REFERENCE.md
Domain Examples: .claude/runtime/logs/20251018_socratic_questioning/DOMAIN_EXAMPLES.md
Quality Checker: .claude/runtime/logs/20251018_socratic_questioning/QUALITY_CHECKER.py

Example Session

# User invokes command
/socratic "NoSQL is just SQL without ACID"

# System analyzes and generates
CLAIM ANALYSIS:
- Assumption: NoSQL ↔ SQL without ACID
- Implication: Only difference is ACID guarantees
- Relationship: Equivalence with subtraction

QUESTION SET:

1. [EMPIRICAL] If NoSQL is just SQL without ACID, why do schema-less
   designs and wide-column stores have fundamentally different query
   patterns than SQL - what explains this divergence beyond ACID?

2. [COMPUTATIONAL] Does removing ACID guarantees explain CAP theorem
   trade-offs, eventual consistency, and conflict resolution - or do
   NoSQL systems require entirely different mental models?

3. [FORMAL] Is the relationship "SQL minus ACID = NoSQL," or is NoSQL
   a distinct paradigm? What properties (joins, normalization) are
   lost, and are these losses necessary or incidental?

QUALITY ASSESSMENT:
- Deflection Resistance: 8.2/10 ✓
- Logical Trap: 8.5/10 ✓
- Challenge Strength: 7.8/10 ✓
- Overall Score: 8.2/10 [EXCELLENT]

USAGE GUIDANCE:
These questions work best in technical architecture discussions
where database selection trade-offs need exploration.

Notes

Questions are generated using the validated Three-Dimensional Attack pattern
Quality checker automatically assesses each question
Pattern maintains >7.0 effectiveness across 10 validated domains
Generated questions can be refined based on audience feedback

Implementation Status

Current: Slash command definition (this file) Next: Full implementation requires:

Claim analysis logic
Question generation engine using SOCRATIC_TEMPLATE.md
Quality checking integration with QUALITY_CHECKER.py
Domain-specific adaptations from DOMAIN_EXAMPLES.md

Estimated implementation: ~2-3 hours for full automation Alternative: Can be used as agent prompt template immediately

Related Commands

/ultrathink - Comprehensive workflow orchestration
/analyze - Code philosophy compliance
/reflect - Session analysis and improvement
/transcripts - Context preservation and retrieval

Version: 1.0 Created: 2025-10-18 Pattern: Socratic Questioning (Three-Dimensional Attack) Status: Command definition complete, implementation pending

/socratic Command