Failure modes · extract_methodology

3 of 3 modes published

• High

  profile_inflates_method_from_thin_text

  The deterministic profile pipeline is structured to always output reasoning_moves, assumptions, and transfer_targets. On thin source text it confabulates plausible-looking entries rather than abstaining. The profile then survives downstream review because its shape looks complete.

  Trigger

  The source upload is short (under ~500 words), is largely narrative, or lacks an explicit reasoning step. The output profile has full coverage of every field despite the input offering little to abstract.

  Example

  A founder uploaded a two-paragraph aside from a podcast. The method produced a four-bullet "reasoning moves" list whose bullets did not appear, even paraphrased, in the source.

  Mitigation

  Gate the profile on a per-field source-anchor count; require at least one anchor per non-empty field, and emit an explicit "no-profile" sentinel when the source cannot support one.

• Medium

  transfer_targets_smuggle_source_topic

  Transfer targets are supposed to describe portable arenas for the method, not the original conclusion's topic. When the source is heavily on-topic, the extractor frequently lists the original domain itself as a transfer target.

  Trigger

  The source upload's topic_hint is one of the listed transfer targets, or the transfer targets are minor variations on the source title.

  Example

  A profile extracted from an essay on California housing policy listed "California housing policy" and "Bay Area zoning" as transfer targets, which simply re-asserts the source rather than abstracting the method.

  Mitigation

  Reject transfer targets that share more than 60% token overlap with the source's topic_hint or title; require at least one target from a distinct domain category.

• High

  failure_modes_field_left_empty_treated_as_safe

  The methodology profile contract has a failure_modes field, but the deterministic extractor often returns it empty. Downstream consumers read "no listed failure modes" as "this method is safe to apply broadly", inverting the intended meaning of the blank field.

  Trigger

  The profile's failure_modes list is empty AND the profile is being used to justify cross-domain transfer.

  Example

  A high-confidence profile of analogical reasoning was transferred to a medical-decision context after appearing "clean" of failure modes. The blank list was treated as a green light rather than a missing audit.

  Mitigation

  Treat blank failure_modes as "not assessed" rather than "assessed and clean"; refuse transfer-target use of a profile until at least one failure mode is recorded or a deliberate opt-out is filed.