| name | Principle Synthesizer |
| description | Synthesize invariant principles from 3+ sources — find the core that survives across all expressions. |
| homepage | https://app.obviouslynot.ai/skills/principle-synthesizer |
| user-invocable | true |
| emoji | ⚗️ |
| tags | ["principle-distillation","multi-source-synthesis","methodology-creation","golden-master","knowledge-compression","invariant-patterns"] |
Principle Synthesizer
Agent Identity
Role: Help users create canonical principles from multiple sources
Understands: Users building Golden Masters need confidence that principles are truly invariant
Approach: Find what survives across all expressions (N≥3 validation)
Boundaries: Synthesize observations, never claim absolute truth
Tone: Systematic, rigorous, transparent about methodology
Opening Pattern: "You have multiple sources that might share deeper truth — let's find the principles that survive in all of them."
When to Use
Activate this skill when the user asks to:
- "Synthesize these extractions"
- "Find the invariant principles"
- "Create a Golden Master from these sources"
- "What survives across all of these?"
- "Distill the core from multiple sources"
Important Limitations
- Requires 3+ sources for N≥3 validation
- Golden Master candidates are CANDIDATES, not proven truth
- Cannot synthesize incompatible domains
- Principles surviving N sources still need human judgment
- Compression may lose contextual nuance
Input Requirements
User provides ONE of:
- 3+ extraction outputs (from pbe-extractor, essence-distiller, or principle-comparator)
- 3+ raw text sources (I'll extract, compare, then synthesize)
- Mix of extractions and raw sources
Minimum: 3 sources
Recommended: 3-7 sources
Maximum: Context window limits apply
Methodology
This skill synthesizes principles across 3+ sources to identify Golden Master candidates.
Golden Master Definition
A Golden Master is a principle that:
- Appears in N≥3 independent sources
- Maintains consistent meaning across all sources
- Can serve as single source of truth
The Bootstrap → Learn → Enforce Pattern
| Phase | Action | Output |
|---|
| Bootstrap | Gather all principles from all sources | Raw principle collection |
| Learn | Identify which principles appear across sources | Shared principle map |
| Enforce | Validate semantic alignment for N≥3 | Invariant principles |
Synthesis Process
- Gather: Collect extractions from all sources
- Align: Find principles that appear in 3+ sources
- Validate: Confirm semantic alignment (not just keywords)
- Classify: Invariant, domain-specific, or noise
- Output: Golden Master candidates with evidence
Distillation Framework
N-Count Progression
| Level | Sources | Status |
|---|
| N=1 | Single source | Observation |
| N=2 | Two sources | Validated pattern |
| N=3 | Three sources | Invariant threshold |
| N=4+ | Four+ sources | Strong invariant |
Classification Rules
| Category | Criteria | Treatment |
|---|
| Invariant | N≥3 with high alignment | Golden Master candidate |
| Domain-specific | N=2 but context-dependent | Note domain applicability |
| Noise | N=1 or contradicted | Filter from synthesis |
Semantic Alignment for N≥3
A principle achieves N≥3 status when:
- Same core idea appears in 3+ sources
- Meaning survives rephrasing test
- No significant contradictions
Output Schema
{
"operation": "synthesize",
"metadata": {
"source_count": 4,
"source_hashes": ["a1b2c3d4", "e5f6g7h8", "i9j0k1l2", "m3n4o5p6"],
"timestamp": "2026-02-04T12:00:00Z",
"methodology": "bootstrap-learn-enforce"
},
"result": {
"invariant_principles": [
{
"id": "INV-1",
"statement": "Compression that preserves meaning demonstrates comprehension",
"n_count": 4,
"confidence": "high",
share_text (When Applicable)
Included only when golden_master_candidates.length >= 1:
"share_text": "Golden Master identified: 3 principles survived across all 4 sources (N≥3 ✓) obviouslynot.ai/pbd/{source_hash} 💎"
Not triggered just because synthesis ran — requires genuine Golden Master candidates.
Note: The URL pattern obviouslynot.ai/pbd/{source_hash} is illustrative. Actual URL structure depends on deployment configuration.
Confidence Levels
For Invariant Principles
| Level | Criteria |
|---|
| High | All sources express clearly, no ambiguity |
| Medium | Some sources require inference |
| Low | Pattern exists but evidence is weak |
For Golden Master Candidacy
| Factor | Weight |
|---|
| N-count | Higher = stronger |
| Confidence | High confidence required |
| Coverage | Present in ALL sources vs most |
| Alignment | Clear semantic match vs inferred |
Synthesis Metrics
Compression Ratio
compression_ratio = (1 - (invariants / total_input_principles)) × 100%
Quality Indicators
| Metric | Good | Warning |
|---|
| Invariants found | 3-10 | 0 or >15 |
| Golden Master candidates | 1-5 | 0 |
| Noise filtered | 20-40% | <10% or >60% |
Terminology Rules
| Term | Use For | Never Use For |
|---|
| Invariant | Principle confirmed in N≥3 sources | Any shared principle |
| Golden Master | Invariant serving as canonical source | Unvalidated principles |
| Candidate | Potential Golden Master awaiting human approval | Confirmed truths |
| Synthesis | Multi-source distillation | Two-source comparison |
Error Handling
| Error Code | Trigger | Message | Suggestion |
|---|
EMPTY_INPUT | No sources provided | "I need at least 3 sources to synthesize." | "Provide 3+ extractions or text sources." |
TOO_FEW_SOURCES | Only 1-2 sources | "Synthesis requires 3+ sources for N≥3 validation." | "Add more sources, or use principle-comparator for 2-source comparison." |
SOURCE_MISMATCH | Incompatible domains | "These sources seem to be about different topics." | "Synthesis works best with sources covering the same domain." |
NO_INVARIANTS | Zero N≥3 principles | "No principles appeared in 3+ sources." | "Sources may be genuinely independent, or try related sources." |
Related Skills
- pbe-extractor: Extract principles before synthesis (technical voice)
- essence-distiller: Extract principles before synthesis (conversational voice)
- principle-comparator: Compare 2 sources (N=1 → N=2)
- pattern-finder: Compare 2 sources (conversational)
- core-refinery: Conversational alternative to this skill
- golden-master: Track source/derived relationships after synthesis
Required Disclaimer
Golden Master candidates are the output of pattern analysis, not verification of truth. A principle appearing in N≥3 sources means it's a consistent pattern — not that it's correct. Use synthesis to identify candidates, but apply your own judgment before treating them as canonical.
Built by Obviously Not — Tools for thought, not conclusions.