rethink
Challenge system assumptions against accumulated evidence. Triages observations and tensions, detects patterns, generates proposals. The scientific method applied to knowledge systems. Triggers on "/rethink", "review observations", "challenge assumptions", "what have I learned".
npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill rethink --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
What it does
The rethink skill challenges system assumptions against accumulated evidence, triages observations and tensions, detects patterns, and generates proposals. It applies a scientific-method approach to knowledge systems and is invoked by commands like "/rethink", "review observations", "challenge assumptions", and "what have I learned".
How it works
- Runtime configuration loads domain-specific files:
ops/derivation-manifest.md,ops/config.yaml, andops/methodology/notes. It uses values such asself_evolution.observation_thresholdandself_evolution.tension_thresholdto decide when to rethink. - EXECUTE NOW defines six-phase workflow and targets: full rethink on all pending items, or phased targets like "triage", "patterns", or "drift". It processes based on the given target, triaging and proposing changes accordingly.
- Phase 0: Drift Check loads methodology state, system configuration, and derivation manifest; compares drift types (Staleness, Coverage Gap, Assertion Mismatch); creates drift observations in
ops/observations/if needed. - Phase 1: Triage gathers pending evidence from
ops/observations/andops/tensions/, classifies each item into PROMOTE, IMPLEMENT, METHODOLOGY, ARCHIVE, or KEEP PENDING, presents a triage table, and waits for user confirmation before applying changes. - Phase 2: Methodology folder updates create or extend notes in
ops/methodology/with structured frontmatter and body content, linking to related observations and updating methodology MOC. - Phase 3: Pattern Detection analyzes remaining pending items and history to identify systemic patterns across categories and references, guiding elevated changes to the system.
When to use it
Use when there is a need to test and update system behavior against accumulated evidence, particularly when observations or tensions indicate potential misalignments with current methodology or configuration. It triggers on phrases listed in the description to start the rethink cycle.
What it can touch
The workflow touches:
ops/observations/for drift notes and status changesops/tensions/for tension status and resolutionsops/methodology/for new or updated methodology notesops/methodology.mdfor updating the methodology table of contents- Potentially files indicated by IMPLEMENT actions in specific contexts
Caveats
The six-phase execution is gated by explicit targets and user confirmation for triage actions; the process relies on existing methodology and configuration files and will report drift only if drift criteria are met. The guide emphasizes evidence over intuition and requires exact file paths and notes when applying changes.
## Runtime Configuration (Step 0 — before any processing) Read these files to configure domain-specific behavior: 1. **`ops/derivation-manifest.md`** — vocabulary mapping, domain context - Use `vocabulary.notes` for the notes folder name - Use `vocabulary.note` for the note type name in output - Use `vocabulary.rethink` for the command name in output - Use `vocabulary.topic_map` for MOC references - Use `vocabulary.cmd_reflect` for connection-finding references 2. **`ops/config.yaml`** — thresholds, processing preferences - `self_evolution.observation_threshold`: number of pending observations before suggesting rethink (default: 10) - `self_evolution.tension_threshold`: number of pending tensions before suggesting rethink (default: 5) 3. **`ops/methodology/`** — existing methodology notes (read all to understand current system self-knowledge) If these files don't exist (pre-init invocation or standalone use), use universal defaults. The command name itself transforms per domain. The derivation manifest maps the universal name to domain-native language. If no manifest exists, use "rethink" as the command name. ## EXECUTE NOW **Target: $ARGUMENTS** Parse immediately: - If target is e
- Runtime Configuration (Step 0 — before any processing)
- EXECUTE NOW
- Philosophy
- Phase 0: Drift Check
- 0a. Load Methodology State
- 0b. Load System Configuration
- 0c. Compare Across Three Drift Types
- 0d. Create Drift Observations
- 0e. Report and Proceed
- Phase 1: Triage
- 1a. Gather Pending Evidence
- 1b. Classify Each Item
- 1c. Present Triage Table
- 1d. Execute Triage
Get all methodology notes with their metadata for f in ops/methodology/*.md; do echo "=== $f ===" head -20 "$f" # frontmatter with category, created, updated, status echo "" done Compare config.yaml modification time vs newest methodology note
What does the rethink skill do?
Challenge system assumptions against accumulated evidence. Triages observations and tensions, detects patterns, generates proposals. The scientific method applied to knowledge systems. Triggers on "/rethink", "review observations", "challenge assumptions", "what have I learned".
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill rethink --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From majiayu000/claude-skill-registry, a repository with 534 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.