dialectical-mapping-steelmanning

# Dialectical Mapping & Steelmanning

## Table of Contents
- [Purpose](#purpose)
- [When to Use](#when-to-use)
- [What Is It?](#what-is-it)
- [Workflow](#workflow)
- [Common Patterns](#common-patterns)
- [Guardrails](#guardrails)
- [Quick Reference](#quick-reference)

## Purpose

Dialectical Mapping & Steelmanning helps you escape false binary choices by:

- **Steelmanning** both positions (presenting them in their strongest, most charitable form)
- **Mapping** the underlying principles and tradeoffs (what each side values and sacrifices)
- **Synthesizing** a principled third way (transcending "pick a side" to find higher-order resolution)
- **Making tradeoffs explicit** (clarifying costs/benefits of synthesis vs pure positions)

This moves debates from "A vs B" to "here's the best of both, here's what we sacrifice, here's why it's worth it."

## When to Use

Use this skill when:

- **False dichotomies**: Debate framed as binary choice ("we must pick A or B") but better options exist
- **Polarized positions**: Both sides dug in, uncharitable interpretations, strawman arguments flying
- **Hidden tradeoffs**: Each position has merits and costs, but these aren't explicit
- **Principle conflicts**: Seemingly opposed values (speed vs quality, freedom vs safety, innovation vs stability)
- **Synthesis needed**: User explicitly wants "third way", "best of both worlds", or "transcend the debate"
- **Strategic tensions**: Business decisions with legitimate competing priorities (growth vs profitability, centralization vs autonomy)
- **Design tradeoffs**: Technical or product decisions with no clear winner (monolith vs microservices, simple vs powerful)
- **Policy debates**: Governance questions with multiple stakeholder values (privacy vs security, efficiency vs equity)

Trigger phrases: "steelman", "thesis-antithesis-synthesis", "Hegelian dialectic", "false dichotomy", "third way", "both sides have a point", "transcend the debate", "resolve the tension"

## What Is It?

Diale