Tier 1
Evidence vs. Claim
A claim is not evidence. Separate the sentence from the record.
A claim is an assertion. Evidence is an artifact: document, measurement, recording, or witness statement that can be inspected. If you cannot point to the artifact, you have a claim.
Tier 1
Unknown Is Valid
Gaps are not permission to invent. Hold the empty cell.
Unknown is a defined state, not a failure. Filling it with preference, fear, or ideology is the error.
Tier 1
Four Hypotheses
H1 current. H2 strongest competitor. H3 benign. H4 insufficient evidence.
For consequential issues, hold four hypotheses, then ask what evidence would distinguish them. A closed model that cannot name a falsifier is no longer analysis.
Tier 1
Control Tempo
Emotional intensity up, response speed down, verification depth up.
Fear, anger, disgust, triumph, outrage, and tribal validation are signals to slow the cycle. Artificial urgency is a tempo attack.