When to use it

Use critical-thinking when you want an argument examined, a tradeoff assessed, or an apparently obvious solution challenged. It is useful when your framing may already imply the answer and you need the agent to assess the evidence independently.

How it works

Figure 01

Make the reasoning behind a recommendation visible.

  1. Separate

    Distinguish the claim, evidence, and assumptions.

  2. Challenge

    Test the reasoning against credible alternatives.

  3. Assess

    Explain the conclusion and what could change it.

ResultA reasoned assessment
Agreement and disagreement both need support. The useful output is a conclusion whose reasoning you can inspect.

The skill separates claims from evidence and checks the assumptions connecting them. It considers credible alternatives and asks what observations would support or weaken the proposal.

Its response should explain where the reasoning holds and where it does not. Agreement needs evidence, and disagreement needs a reason; neither praise nor reflexive opposition is a substitute for analysis.

An example request

Ask your agent

“Critique my proposal to add a cache before we optimize the query. Check the assumptions, likely failure modes, and evidence that would change the recommendation.”

This illustrates a request you can adapt; it is not a transcript of a completed run.

A reasoned assessment you can act on, including the assumptions that deserve verification before committing to the decision.

Install and use

The skill’s identifier is critical-thinking. It ships in the critical-thinking plugin. In Claude Code, first add the Overclock marketplace, then install the package:

/plugin install critical-thinking@overclock

For a standalone installation, keep the skill directory and its bundled resources together. The repository also includes per-skill Codex metadata. Read the full skill instructions for its exact workflow and supporting files.

What to keep in mind

Installing the skill does not guarantee an always-on conversational style. Invoke it for a specific assessment, or use explicit project instructions for an expectation that should apply throughout a project.

A persuasive critique still depends on the evidence available. Use independent-research when a bounded inspection of local source material would help test the claim.

  • Groundwork — Resolve the decisions that matter before planning a substantial change.
  • Independent research — Get a separate, bounded reading of local evidence for a specific question.