/assumption-cascade

name: assumption-cascade
description: 'Tactic: Surface assumptions, sort by dependency, attack root assumptions
  first, then trace cascade failures through the dependency graph.'
type: tactic
strategies:
- assumption-challenge
- systematic-probing
- groupthink-mitigation
dependencies:
  sops:
  - assumption-cascade-tracer
  - devils-advocacy
  - finding-aggregation
  - key-assumptions-check
  - probe-execution

Assumption Cascade Tactic

Attack assumptions at their roots and trace how failures propagate through dependency chains.

Orchestration

1. **key-assumptions-check** surfaces all assumptions (explicit and implicit) 2. **assumption-cascade-tracer** builds dependency graph (which assumptions depend on which) 3. Root assumptions identified (those with no upstream dependencies) 4. **devils-advocacy** constructs strongest attack against each root assumption 5. **probe-execution** tests root assumptions — if root fails, trace downstream cascade 6. **assumption-cascade-tracer** maps full cascade: which conclusions collapse if root fails 7. **finding-aggregation** reports cascade paths and total impact scope

Subagents Dispatched

• key-assumptions-check (1 call for enumeration)
• assumption-cascade-tracer (2 calls: dependency build + cascade trace)
• devils-advocacy (1 call per root assumption)
• probe-execution (1 call per root attack)
• finding-aggregation (1 call at end)

Termination Conditions

• All root assumptions tested (budget permitting)
• Cascade found that invalidates >50% of conclusions (critical finding)
• All assumptions survive attack (artifact resilient at assumption level)
• Budget exhausted (report partial coverage)

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Available SOPs

Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.

| SOP | When to use | | --- | --- | | assumption-cascade-tracer | Build assumption dependency graphs and trace cascade failures when root assumptions are invalidated. | | devils-advocacy | Construct the strongest possible counter-argument against a position, steelmanning the opposition before attacking. | | finding-aggregation | Aggregate, deduplicate, and classify findings from multiple probes into a coherent vulnerability report. | | key-assumptions-check | Military ACT: systematically enumerate all assumptions, classify by type, and evaluate evidence strength supporting each. | | probe-execution | Execute a single attack probe against an artifact, record the result with evidence and severity classification. |

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