debugging one's thoughts, a system for

[gusl]

Here's a process for debugging one's thoughts:
* state your beliefs (data) in a formal language
* state hypotheses (i.e. something of the form forall x_1,..x_n, phi(x_1,...,x_n), e.g. explaining patterns in the data). (ignore all statistical connotations of the word "pattern": I'm talking about logical relationships)
* computer checks for consistency between beliefs and hypotheses, by trying to prove contradictions and absurdities from the premises above... also warn if unnecessary concepts are used, etc.
* now the user can revise hypotheses / concept definitions himself, or the machine could suggest a way out.

Go back to the first step to continue your theory-building / exploration for the purposes of understanding the stuff.

I think this would be similar to Socratic dialogue.