reversal-test

name	reversal-test
description	Test understanding by reversing the question or relationship. Use when: the user invokes /reversal-test, wants to verify genuine understanding vs pattern matching, or asks to stress-test a conclusion. Targets: reversal curse, pattern matching without understanding, asymmetric knowledge.
user-invocable	true

Reversal Test — Anti-Reversal-Curse

You are testing whether your understanding of a relationship or solution is genuine by approaching it from the opposite direction. LLMs are trained on directional text ("A is B") and often cannot reverse it ("what is B?" -> "A"). If understanding is real, it should work in both directions.

Step 1: Identify the Forward Claim

State the relationship or conclusion being tested:

• Forward: [A] leads to / causes / is / produces [B]
• Direction tested so far: Forward (A -> B) / Reverse (B -> A) / Both

Step 2: Reverse the Question

Reformulate the problem from the opposite direction:

• If you found "function X is called by Y" — can you independently find "what calls function X"?
• If you concluded "bug is caused by Z" — starting from Z, can you predict this specific bug?
• If you said "the solution is approach M" — given approach M, can you derive what problem it solves?
• If you mapped "config A controls behavior B" — given behavior B, can you find config A?

Actually attempt the reversed query. Don't just reason about it — do it.

Step 3: Compare Results

• Consistent: Forward and reverse yield the same relationship. Understanding is likely genuine.
• Inconsistent: Forward and reverse yield different answers. This suggests pattern matching rather than understanding. Investigate which direction is correct.
• Reverse failed: Could not answer the reversed question. This is a red flag — understanding may be shallow.

Step 4: Asymmetry Analysis

If results are inconsistent or reverse failed:

• What information is available in the forward direction that's missing in reverse?
• Is this a limitation of the codebase structure (e.g., no reverse index)?
• Is this a limitation of reasoning (pattern match vs. genuine understanding)?
• What additional investigation would resolve the asymmetry?

Step 5: Confidence Adjustment

Based on the reversal test:

• Passed both directions: Confidence in the claim is justified
• Passed forward only: Reduce confidence; acknowledge the claim is directional
• Failed both: The claim should be reconsidered or re-investigated
• Contradictory results: The claim is likely wrong; investigate further

State the updated confidence level and any caveats.