---
slug: "SteelmanFirst"
name: "SteelmanFirst"
type: "Strategy"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "SteelmanFirst#ef20"
sema_id: "sema:SteelmanFirst#mh:SHA-256:ef20c6668a33682967b71f3a2d5cdc0fa6a1ea1342118f7570990d74a1e6e699"
tags: ["Mind","Strategy"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json
url: https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/SteelmanFirst/
related: ["Agent","CognitiveBias","Problem","SteelmanCheck"]
---

# SteelmanFirst

Ordering rule: steelman opposing view before proposing, so SteelmanCheck has real targets

Layer: Mind · Category: Strategy

## Mechanism

Before proposing a solution, the agent actively constructs the strongest possible version of the opposing argument or constraint. It ensures the critique phase of [SteelmanCheck](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/SteelmanCheck.md) is populated with high-quality data, not strawmen.

## Invariants

- Counter-argument generation precedes proposal generation in the chain.

## Preconditions

- [Problem](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Problem.md) statement defined

## Postconditions

- Counter-argument retained for [SteelmanCheck](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/SteelmanCheck.md)

## Failure modes

- Performative Steelman: [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) lists weak counter-arguments to appear unbiased.
- [CognitiveBias](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/CognitiveBias.md) Leakage: [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) frames the counter-argument in a way that makes it easy to defeat.

## Parameters

- `effort_ratio` (Float, [0.3, 0.5]): Portion of budget spent on counter-argument

## Builds on

- [Agent](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Agent.md) (Mind; References)
- [CognitiveBias](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/CognitiveBias.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Problem](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Problem.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [SteelmanCheck](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/SteelmanCheck.md) (Mind; References)

## Used by

—

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:SteelmanFirst#mh:SHA-256:ef20c6668a33682967b71f3a2d5cdc0fa6a1ea1342118f7570990d74a1e6e699`
- Ref: `SteelmanFirst#ef20`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:SteelmanFirst#mh:SHA-256:6069f5780eae1053b3d2a2bfb37be0df1340e1be9801d774697c57f16b26c62e`
  - `sema:SteelmanFirst#mh:SHA-256:894f05de5a5bec506b3c87eda3718ac9fc9a1d34185e0b0d929fec1b9d40d13e`
  - `sema:SteelmanFirst#mh:SHA-256:c6afe488ca9d892a8219f66dcb7bbf4a1f5623079eff34fc4e55865d8c398381`
  - `sema:SteelmanFirst#mh:SHA-256:74e7996d5e9e373f395c52e148cf5876ad139ea7ebb51f586311fb0050670900`

## Links

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