---
slug: "Eliminate"
name: "Eliminate"
type: "Reasoning"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "Eliminate#07d3"
sema_id: "sema:Eliminate#mh:SHA-256:07d38b131eefdbe2cd46a074bfc7dd73da0b5474f4709c7e80f678d2ffa92be9"
tags: ["Mind","Reasoning"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json
url: https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/Eliminate/
related: ["Deduction","Falsification","Option","Prioritize"]
---

# Eliminate

Sherlock Holmes deduction via falsification

Layer: Mind · Category: Reasoning

## Mechanism

Systematic Exclusion (Sherlock Holmes): Enumerate all possible answers. For each, find a test that could falsify it. Apply tests in order of cost (cheapest first). Remove falsified options. Continue until one remains or no tests left. Remaining options are candidates. Combines [Deduction](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Deduction.md) (ruling out what's impossible) with [Falsification](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Falsification.md) (empirical testing of each hypothesis). It uses [Prioritize](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Prioritize.md) to order falsification tests by cost/efficiency before executing them.

## Invariants

- Monotonic Reduction: [Option](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Option.md) set size strictly decreases or stays the same across iterations — options are only eliminated, never added back.
- Evidence-Required Exclusion: Each eliminated option must have falsifying evidence; exclusion without evidence is not permitted.

## Preconditions

- [Option](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Option.md) set exhaustive at start.
- Falsification tests available.
- At least one option must survive.

## Postconditions

- Remaining options equally valid. Eliminated options have falsifying evidence. Search space reduced.

## Failure modes

- Premature Exclusion: Eliminating the true cause because of a faulty test, leaving an empty set.

## Builds on

- [Deduction](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Deduction.md) (Mind; References)
- [Falsification](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Falsification.md) (Mind; References)
- [Option](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Option.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Prioritize](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Prioritize.md) (Mind; References)

## Used by

—

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:Eliminate#mh:SHA-256:07d38b131eefdbe2cd46a074bfc7dd73da0b5474f4709c7e80f678d2ffa92be9`
- Ref: `Eliminate#07d3`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:Eliminate#mh:SHA-256:43ea687e3560a55f221807138469697a6f331e687fa542c66ddf4d97f07174b0`
  - `sema:Eliminate#mh:SHA-256:9ed81c149ca25686f2af9b63c17784a81b8edb8ad3d620a4fd09100ab5a86b96`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/Eliminate/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/#Eliminate)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Eliminate.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json)