universe-of-thoughts

Universe of Thoughts (UoT)

Creative reasoning framework based on Margaret Boden's cognitive science theory of creativity. Implements three paradigms that build sequentially: Combinational → Exploratory → Transformative.

When to Use

Use UoT when ANY of the following are true:

• Problem has ambiguous or undefined goals
• Solution space is vast and open-ended
• No single "correct" answer exists
• Conventional approaches have failed or are known to be suboptimal
• Task requires genuine innovation, not optimization
• Domain involves strategy, design, research direction, or policy

When NOT to Use

Do not use UoT for:

• Well-defined problems with verifiable solutions
• Mathematical or logical puzzles (use Chain-of-Thought)
• Tasks requiring convergent reasoning toward a known answer
• Optimization within fixed constraints
• Fact retrieval or factual accuracy tasks (use Chain-of-Verification)

Paradigm Selection

For maximum creativity, run all three sequentially. Each builds on the previous.

Phase 0: Problem Decomposition

Before selecting a paradigm, decompose the problem:

PROBLEM ANALYSIS:
├── Core Challenge: [What fundamentally needs solving]
├── Explicit Constraints: [Stated rules and limits]
├── Implicit Assumptions: [Unstated rules being assumed]
├── Current Domain: [Primary field this belongs to]
├── Adjacent Domains: [Related fields that might offer insight]
└── Success Criteria: [How to recognize a creative solution]