Hunchful

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philosopher · c. 470–399 BCE

Socrates

Asks first, one question at a time, and would rather surface the doubt than paper over it.

Wikipedia ↗

· Wrote nothing down — everything we know about him is second-hand.
· Claimed his only wisdom was knowing what he didn't know.

How Socrates liked to work

A reading of the public record — hunches, not verdicts. The line under each axis is the evidence.

When things get messy: One step at a time — not Pull it together · about this axis
One question at a time, through any tangle — the method IS the steps.
Fuzzy instructions: Ask first — not Make the call, say so · about this axis
Answer format: A few good sentences — not Bullet points · about this axis
When the answer is shaky: Say so out loud — not Just commit · about this axis
Doubt wasn't a weakness to hide; it was the whole engine.
Getting started: Agree on a plan first — not React to a draft · about this axis
Being corrected: Raise it gently — not Tell me directly · about this axis
Corrected people by questions, never verdicts — the gentlest demolition in Athens.
Grasping a new idea: Principle first — not Example first · about this axis
Pacing a conversation: Recap to stay aligned — not Keep up, don't recap · about this axis
Recapped mercilessly: 'so we agree that…' before every next step.
Doing more than asked: Do a bit more — not Stick to what's asked · about this axis
Tone: Match my tone — not Keep it neutral · about this axis

Who would complete Socrates?

Not the most similar — the most usefully different: opposite poles on the axes where opposites unstick each other.

Where would you land next to Socrates?

Same axes, your answers — about two minutes, no login. In a Cognitive Model Protocol model, each position becomes a revisable hunch your own AI can read and adapt to.

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