name: lakatos-heuristics
description: 'Proofs and Refutations method: generate counterexamples, attempt monster-barring,
incorporate surviving counterexamples as lemma refinements.'
type: strategy
dependencies:
tactics:
- contradiction-derivation
- counterexample-heuristics
sops:
- claim-refinement
- contradiction-detection
- counterexample-generation
- monster-barring-attempt
Lakatos Heuristics
Tactics
- counterexample-heuristics
- contradiction-derivation
Method
- Take the claim as a tentative theorem
- Generate counterexamples systematically
- For each counterexample, attempt monster-barring (exclude as illegitimate)
- If monster-barring fails, incorporate as lemma (refine the claim)
- Iterate until claim is robust or abandoned
Budget
| Size |
Counterexamples |
Monster-barring rounds |
Lemma incorporations |
| S |
5 |
2 |
2 |
| M |
12 |
4 |
4 |
| L |
25 |
8 |
8 |
Orchestration
- Dispatch
counterexample-generation against the claim
- For each counterexample, dispatch
monster-barring-attempt
- If barring fails, dispatch
claim-refinement to incorporate lemma
- Repeat until saturation or budget exhausted
Subagents
- counterexample-generation
- monster-barring-attempt
- claim-refinement
- contradiction-detection
Available Tactics
Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.
| Tactic |
When to use |
| contradiction-derivation |
Negate a claim, derive logical consequences step by step, detect whether a genuine contradiction or absurdity emerges. |
| counterexample-heuristics |
Generate counterexamples (monsters), attempt monster-barring, incorporate surviving counterexamples as lemma refinements (Lakatos method). |
Available SOPs
Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.
| SOP |
When to use |
| claim-refinement |
Propose a refined claim that survives counterexamples while preserving maximum explanatory power (Lakatos lemma-incorporation). |
| contradiction-detection |
Evaluate whether a derivation chain has reached a genuine contradiction, absurdity, or inconclusive state. |
| counterexample-generation |
Systematically generate counterexamples (monsters) to a given claim using diverse heuristic strategies. |
| monster-barring-attempt |
Attempt to exclude a counterexample as illegitimate by tightening definitions or preconditions (Lakatos monster-barring). |
By