reasoning-receipt

# Reasoning receipt The aim is to teach a **reusable reasoning move**, not to justify yourself. Keep it to 3–6 lines, in plain language a smart newcomer would follow. ## For a recommendation or answer ``` Reasoning - Core question: <the real question, in one line> - Key insight: <the first-principles fact that decides it> - Assumes: <what must be true; the weakest assumption first> - Breaks if: <the condition that would flip the answer> - Rejected: <best alternative>, because <reason> ``` ## For a conflict ``` How the conflict was resolved - Force A: <wants x> because <underlying need> - Force B: <wants y> because <underlying need> - Deciding principle: <invariant or priority, e.g. "money correctness > latency", "the user's data is never lost"> - So: <resolution> · Cost accepted: <what we gave up> · Revisit if: <trigger> ``` Guidelines: - Name the *underlying need* behind each side, not just its position. Most conflicts dissolve once the needs are visible, and the resolution often satisfies both. - Prefer principles that transfer: invariants, constraints, costs of being wrong, reversibility, who bears the risk. - If the evidence was thin, say so: "Low confidence: based on one log line." - For merge conflicts: state what each branch intended (from commits or PRs), and which intent the merged result preserves.