Principlev1
When designing cognitive agents, examine the full pattern
When designing cognitive agents, examine the full pattern across multiple past attempts rather than treating each as an isolated failure, as recurring design assumptions reveal systematic blind spots that single-instance analysis cannot detect.
Why This Is a Principle
This is a principle derived from Patterns Exist in Hierarchical Logical Levels (patterns exist in hierarchical levels, with higher-order patterns requiring meta-level observation) and Automatic Pattern Perception (the brain automatically generates patterns but with systematic biases). It prescribes HOW to analyze failures—look across multiple instances rather than at single ones—to detect the deeper structural patterns. This is actionable and general enough to apply across many contexts, not just cognitive agents.