Principlev1
Decompose complex schemas into independently testable atomic
Decompose complex schemas into independently testable atomic claims and validate each atom before trusting the compound structure.
Why This Is a Principle
Derives from Working Memory Capacity Limit (working memory holds 3-5 items), Hierarchical Chunking Expands Capacity (chunking allows hierarchical organization, hierarchical systems evolve faster), and Task switching between different types of cognitive work (task switching imposes time cost). The principle prescribes unit testing for schemas—testing components individually within working memory constraints before attempting to validate the whole complex structure. This is directly analogous to software TDD but applied to cognitive schemas.