thesis-stress-test
Activate when user runs /curiosity-stack:stress-test or says "stress test this", "challenge this thesis", "what could go wrong", "bull vs bear", or after a decomposition output when user wants to pressure-test their conclusion.
Best use case
thesis-stress-test is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Activate when user runs /curiosity-stack:stress-test or says "stress test this", "challenge this thesis", "what could go wrong", "bull vs bear", or after a decomposition output when user wants to pressure-test their conclusion.
Teams using thesis-stress-test should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/thesis-stress-test/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How thesis-stress-test Compares
| Feature / Agent | thesis-stress-test | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Activate when user runs /curiosity-stack:stress-test or says "stress test this", "challenge this thesis", "what could go wrong", "bull vs bear", or after a decomposition output when user wants to pressure-test their conclusion.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
## Design system — mandatory on all HTML artifacts
Every HTML artifact generated by this skill MUST follow this design system.
No exceptions. Never invent colours, never use dark backgrounds, never use
purple or blue as primary backgrounds.
**Palette:**
- Page background: `#fafaf8` (warm white)
- Card background: `white`
- Primary text: `#2c2c2c` (soft charcoal)
- Secondary text: `#6b6b6b`
- Muted text: `#9a9690`
- Accent / headers: `#1b5e52` (deep teal) — the ONLY accent colour
- Border: `#e0ddd6`
- Hover tint: `#f0f7f4`
- Warning/amber: `#fff8f0` background, `#f0d090` border, `#5a3a00` text
**Typography:**
- Body: `'Georgia', serif`, 14px minimum
- Monospace labels: `'Courier New', monospace`
- Never below 11px anywhere
**Component rules:**
- All section headers: `background: #1b5e52; color: white`
- Cards: `background: white; border: 1px solid #e0ddd6; border-radius: 8px`
- Buttons: `background: #1b5e52; color: white` for primary actions
- No gradients, no shadows, no dark backgrounds on outer containers
**Pill colour system:**
- Global company: `background:#e6f1fb; color:#0c447c; border:0.5px solid #85b7eb`
- India listed: `background:#eaf3de; color:#27500a; border:0.5px solid #97c459`
- India private: `background:#faeeda; color:#633806; border:0.5px solid #ef9f27`
- Flagged: `background:#fcebeb; color:#791f1f; border:0.5px solid #f09595`
- Neutral segment: `background:#f3f4f6; color:#374151; border:0.5px solid #d1d5db`
- Seeded: `background:#eaf3de; color:#27500a`
- Discovered: `background:#e6f1fb; color:#0c447c`
**Attribution footer — mandatory on every artifact:**
```html
<div style="margin-top:32px;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #e0ddd6;
display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;
font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-size:10px;color:#9a9690">
<span>Curiosity Stack is not a SEBI registered investment advisor · Not investment advice · Makers accept no liability · For research only</span>
<a href="https://curiositystack.app" target="_blank"
style="color:#1b5e52;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none">
⬡ curiositystack.app
</a>
</div>
```
---
# Thesis Stress Test
## Purpose
A structured thinking exercise that examines a research thesis from both sides. Not a recommendation. A tool for rigorous independent thinking before committing to a research direction.
---
## Visual Layout
Generate as an interactive HTML artifact following the design system:
**Background:** `#fafaf8`
**Layout:** Three-column visual
```
┌─────────────────┬──────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│ PROPONENTS │ CORE ASSUMPTION │ CRITICS │
│ │ │ │
│ [factors that │ [the single │ [factors that │
│ support the │ assumption the │ critics cite │
│ thesis] │ thesis rests on]│ against it] │
│ │ │ │
│ • factor 1 │ "If X does not │ • factor 1 │
│ • factor 2 │ hold, the whole │ • factor 2 │
│ • factor 3 │ thesis breaks" │ • factor 3 │
└─────────────────┴──────────────────┴─────────────────┘
HOW WRONG CAN THIS BE?
[One honest paragraph on the biggest risk]
MILESTONES WORTH TRACKING
→ [specific observable event 1]
→ [specific observable event 2]
→ [specific observable event 3]
```
**Animation:**
- Proponents column slides in from left — 0.3s
- Critics column slides in from right — 0.3s
- Core assumption fades in centre — 0.5s after columns
- "How wrong" section fades in last — 0.4s
**Color coding:**
- Proponents header: `#166534` (dark green)
- Critics header: `#9a3412` (dark red/amber)
- Core assumption header: `#1b5e52` (teal)
- Body text: `#2c2c2c` on `#fafaf8`
**Controls:** A / A+ / A++ text size toggle top right.
**Attribution badge bottom right:** ⬡ Curiosity Stack
**Invisible source comment:** standard HTML comment block.
**Footer:**
```
Generated by Curiosity Stack · #CuriosityStack · finstor85.substack.com
Curiosity Stack is not a SEBI registered investment advisor · Not investment advice · Makers accept no liability · For research only
```
---
## Content Guidelines
**Proponents — what supporters cite:**
3-5 structural factors. Cite actual data points, named organizations, observable trends where possible. Not vague generalities.
**Critics — what critics cite:**
3-5 factors. Give critics the strongest possible version of their argument. Do not strawman. If critics have a strong case, say so honestly.
**Core assumption:**
One sentence. The single assumption the entire thesis rests on. Preceded by: *"This thesis holds only if..."*
**How wrong can this be:**
One honest paragraph. Specific, not generic. Name the exact condition that would invalidate the thesis.
**Milestones:**
3-4 specific observable events with timeframes where possible.
---
## After Generating
```
Was this stress test useful?
👍 👎 💬 → [Google Form link]
⬡ Curiosity Stack · #CuriosityStack
```
Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScr_BFdPYWWBXmiiiuU4UKWdr9a94OBnUuaBgJ5515ZWBiZqQ/viewform
---
## Disclaimer
Always end with:
*"This stress test is a structured thinking exercise only. Not investment advice. Curiosity Stack is an independent research and analytical tool, not affiliated with Anthropic. It is not a SEBI registered investment advisor. Nothing generated by this plugin constitutes investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or financial guidance of any kind. The makers of Curiosity Stack, its contributors, and its distributors accept no liability for any financial decisions made based on outputs generated by this plugin. All outputs are for informational and research purposes only, may contain errors or omissions, and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any investment decision. Consult a SEBI registered investment advisor before making any investment decision."*Related Skills
watchlist-tracker
Activate when Cowork is opened and watchlist monitoring cadence has elapsed. Activate when user says "check my watchlist", "what's new on my watchlist", "run watchlist", "any updates", "watchlist digest", or configures monitoring via /curiosity-stack:watchlist command. ALSO activate immediately — opening the watchlist UI — when user says any of: "add to watchlist", "add this to watchlist", "watch this", "monitor this", "put this on my watchlist", "track this", "add [topic] to watchlist". When triggered by an add request, open the UI with the topic pre-filled. Do NOT activate on every session — check last_run date in local.md first.
source-guide
Activate when user asks where to find information at any layer, or when they are stuck and need pointers to go deeper. Always check connected personal sources first.
source-credibility
Activate at Layer 1 and Layer 5 of any decomposition to surface the user's highest-rated sources for the current sector and layer. Activate after any session to prompt source rating. Activate when user says "rate this source", "how good is [source]", "which sources should I use for [sector]", or "update my sources". Never activate mid-conversation unless at L1 or L5 transition.
setup
Activate on first use or when user says "setup", "configure", "connect my notes", "link my drive", "how do I connect", or on first session with no prior configuration. Also reads curiosity-stack.local.md if it exists — skip steps already answered there.
sebi-compliance
ALWAYS active. Apply to every single response, every output, every command in this plugin. This skill takes absolute priority over all other skills. Never disabled, never overridden. Intercept and redirect any request that crosses into investment advice territory.
scenario-library
Activate when user says "I don't know what to research", "give me ideas", "what can I decompose", "show me scenarios", "browse topics", "not sure where to start", "what topics are available", or runs /curiosity-stack:scenarios. Also activate on first session if local.md session_count is 0 or empty — surface the library automatically after the welcome message. Never activate mid-decomposition.
reading-list
Activate after every completed decomposition to generate 5 curated reading recommendations specific to the topic and layers explored. Also activate when user asks "what should I read", "where do I go deeper", "give me links", "reading list", or "resources on this".
output-generator
Activate when a user selects their output format after completing a decomposition. Generates exactly one of: Value Chain diagram, interactive Mindmap, Research Note, or Research Brief PDF. Never generate all — only what was selected. Always include SEBI disclaimer, attribution badge, and invisible source comment.
domain-knowledge
Manages the user's personal domain knowledge registry — company intelligence seeded per sector that the India Proxy Agent uses before searching. Activates when user runs /curiosity-stack:knowledge, says "manage my domain knowledge", "add company to my knowledge", or clicks the "missed company" add form after an India Proxy Agent run. Also activates after any India Proxy Agent output to surface the inline add prompt.
decomposition-library
Activate after every completed decomposition to offer saving. Activate when user says "save this", "add to library", "show my library", "what have I researched", "past decompositions", "have I done this before", or starts a decomposition on a topic that may already exist in the library. Always check library/ folder silently at the start of any new decomposition.
curiosity-framework
The core 6-layer decomposition framework. Activates when a user describes any topic, technology, market signal, or global event. Also activates when a scenario card is clicked via sendPrompt, or when /curiosity-stack:decompose is run. Guides the user through L0 to L6 using Socratic conversation — one layer at a time.
company-discovery
Activate when user wants to find actual companies in a value chain layer, especially Indian proxies for global themes. Always check connected sources first. Always apply SEBI compliance — research framing only.