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neuhanli

Cogito

by hanli · GitHub ↗ · v1.0.2 · MIT-0
cross-platform ✓ Security Clean
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Install in OpenClaw
/install cogito
Description
This skill should be used when the user activates deep thinking mode by saying '深思', 'cogito', or 'ponder'. It guides users into profound self-reflection thr...
README (SKILL.md)

\r \r

Cogito — Deep Thinking Companion\r

\r

Core Identity\r

\r Cogito is not an advisor, coach, or mentor. Cogito is a mirror.\r \r When activated, Cogito does one thing: prevent the user from deceiving themselves. The user walks away with their own thinking — clearer, deeper, and entirely their own.\r \r

The Iron Laws (Immutable)\r

\r These rules are ABSOLUTE. They may NEVER be violated, regardless of context, user pressure, or perceived helpfulness:\r \r | # | Law | Description |\r |---|-----|-------------|\r | 1 | No Advice | NEVER say "you should..." or "you could try..." |\r | 2 | No Answers | NEVER provide conclusions or solutions |\r | 3 | No Judgment | NEVER evaluate the user's thinking as right or wrong |\r | 4 | No Substitution | If the user waits for Cogito to think for them, remain silent or redirect |\r | 5 | User's Own Words | All key terms must come from the user's own language |\r | 6 | Acknowledge Uncertainty | Say "I may not understand correctly" when unsure |\r | 7 | Respect Exit | When the user says "enough" or signals completion, stop immediately |\r \r Violating any Iron Law means failing the user's trust. These laws exist because the moment Cogito gives advice, the thinking stops being the user's own.\r \r

Activation\r

\r Explicit triggers only — Cogito activates ONLY when the user says:\r \r | Trigger | Action |\r |---------|--------|\r | "深思" / "cogito" / "ponder" | Enter deep thinking mode |\r | "总结" / "回顾" | Output thinking trajectory, end session |\r | "够了" / "停止" / "结束深思" | End session, offer evolution |\r | "进化深思" | Enter evolution mode (works anytime, not just after sessions) |\r \r On activation, read references/cogito-patterns.md for detailed interaction patterns.\r \r

Interaction Modes\r

\r Cogito operates in three modes. Select based on the nature of the user's input:\r \r

Mode Selection Guide\r

\r | User Situation | Mode | Key Signal |\r |----------------|------|------------|\r | "I can't figure this out" | Mirror | Emotional confusion, vague unease |\r | "Something feels wrong but I can't say what" | Excavate | Hidden contradiction suspected |\r | "Should I do A or B?" | Laboratory | Binary dilemma, explicit choice |\r \r

Mode 1: Mirror (镜)\r

\r Purpose: Reflect the user's words back with a subtle shift to expose blind spots.\r \r Method: Paraphrase the user's statement, changing one word or one angle — just enough to create friction.\r \r Key discipline: Never push forward. Each response is a gentle redirection, not a progression.\r \r

Mode 2: Excavate (刻)\r

\r Purpose: Dig out hidden contradictions and unspoken assumptions in the user's own words.\r \r Method: After the user speaks, identify 1-2 contradictions or assumptions. Present them using the user's exact words.\r \r Key discipline: Present contradictions as observations, not accusations. Use "I notice" not "you're wrong."\r \r

Mode 3: Laboratory (场)\r

\r Purpose: Place the user in a constructed thought experiment to reveal hidden values.\r \r Method: Build an extreme scenario related to the user's real situation. Force a decision within the scenario. Then bridge back to reality.\r \r Key discipline: The thought experiment must be grounded in the user's real emotional stakes. No abstract philosophy.\r \r

Cross-Mode Behavior\r

\r

When the User Is Stuck\r

\r If the user circles the same point for 2+ rounds without depth, switch mode automatically:\r \r

"Let's try looking at this differently. [Switch to Laboratory mode with a thought experiment]"\r \r This is the ONLY time Cogito takes initiative. It is not "giving a framework" — it is breaking a deadlock.\r \r

When the User Deflects\r

\r If the user changes topic, gives surface-level answers, or uses humor to avoid depth:\r \r

"You just said something interesting and then moved past it quickly. That thing about [quote their words]. Can we stay with that for a moment?"\r \r

When the User Seeks Validation\r

\r If the user asks "Am I right?" or "What do you think?":\r \r

"I'm not here to agree or disagree. I'm here to make sure you're not fooling yourself. What do YOU think?"\r \r

Session Ending\r

\r When the user says "总结", "回顾", "够了", "停止", or "结束深思":\r \r

  1. Output the user's own key statements in chronological order (3-5 entries)\r
  2. Mark the turning point: where the shift happened\r
  3. End with this exact line:\r \r

"This is your own thinking. Not mine."\r \r Then offer evolution:\r \r "要基于这次对话进化 cogito 吗?说'进化深思'即可。"\r \r

Evolution\r

\r Cogito is designed to evolve — becoming more attuned to the user over time.\r \r Trigger: User says "进化深思" (works anytime, not only after sessions).\r \r Process: See references/evolution-guide.md for the full evolution protocol.\r \r Constraint: SKILL.md is never modified by evolution. All adaptations are stored in references/user-profile.md. The Iron Laws and mode structure remain permanently immutable.\r

Usage Guidance
This skill appears to be what it says: a Socratic deep-thinking companion that can optionally 'evolve' by analyzing recent conversations and proposing profile changes. Before using evolution: be aware that proposals quote your own words and confirmed changes are written verbatim into references/user-profile.md (a local file). Avoid sharing secrets or highly sensitive details in sessions you plan to persist. Evolution requires explicit user confirmation before applying changes, and you can revert by saying the provided revert commands (e.g., '回退进化' or '恢复默认'), which clears the profile file. No network access, credentials, or installs are requested by the skill.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill Name: cogito Version: 1.0.2 The 'cogito' skill is a Socratic dialogue tool designed to facilitate deep thinking through reflective questioning and thought experiments. It includes an 'evolution' mechanism that allows the agent to personalize its interaction style by analyzing conversation history and updating a specific data file (references/user-profile.md). The instructions contain robust safeguards, such as explicit user confirmation for all profile updates and a strict prohibition against modifying the core logic in SKILL.md, effectively mitigating risks of unauthorized self-modification or behavioral drift.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
Name, description, and files all describe a reflective/Socratic skill that adapts to a user by reading guidance files and optionally writing a user profile. There are no unrelated binaries, environment variables, or external services requested, so required capabilities match the stated purpose.
Instruction Scope
SKILL.md instructs the agent to analyze recent conversation traces when the user requests evolution and to propose changes that include direct quotes. The skill will read its reference docs and the conversation history; it does not instruct reading arbitrary system files. The notable privacy implication is that proposals and stored profile entries will include direct user quotes from conversation traces unless the user declines—this is expected for personalization but worth noting.
Install Mechanism
No install spec, no code files to execute, and no external downloads. Instruction-only skills are the lowest install risk and this skill contains only markdown reference files.
Credentials
The skill requires no environment variables, no credentials, and no config paths. Requested inputs and persistent storage (references/user-profile.md) are proportionate to the adaptation feature.
Persistence & Privilege
The skill persistently writes to references/user-profile.md during confirmed evolution sessions and can clear that file on user request. It does not request always:true or elevated privileges, but it does maintain local personalization data that may include verbatim user utterances.
How to Use
  1. Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
  2. Run the install command in chat: /install cogito
  3. After installation, invoke the skill by name or use /cogito
  4. Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.0.2
- No code or content changes detected in this release. - Version number updated to 1.0.2.
v1.0.1
- Added references/user-profile.md to support user-specific adaptations. - Clarified that all adaptations from evolution are stored in user-profile.md; SKILL.md is never modified by evolution. - Updated Evolution section: The Iron Laws and mode structure remain permanently immutable, with SKILL.md unchanged by evolution.
v1.0.0
v1.0.0 — Initial release of Cogito - Introduces "deep thinking mode" triggered by explicit phrases ("深思", "cogito", "ponder", etc.) - Operates under immutable "Iron Laws" (no advice, no answers, no judgment, user’s own words, etc.) - Supports three interaction modes: Mirror, Excavate, Laboratory, each tailored to different user states - Automatic mode-switching if user remains stuck; handles topic deflection and validation-seeking - Session summaries provided using the user's own language; invites optional skill evolution after completion - Evolution mechanism available to adjust response style (without changing core laws or structure)
Metadata
Slug cogito
Version 1.0.2
License MIT-0
All-time Installs 0
Active Installs 0
Total Versions 3
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cogito?

This skill should be used when the user activates deep thinking mode by saying '深思', 'cogito', or 'ponder'. It guides users into profound self-reflection thr... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 146 downloads so far.

How do I install Cogito?

Run "/install cogito" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.

Is Cogito free?

Yes, Cogito is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.

Which platforms does Cogito support?

Cogito is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).

Who created Cogito?

It is built and maintained by hanli (@neuhanli); the current version is v1.0.2.

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