Fact-Checking
🔍 Verify claims before you believe or share them.
In an era of misinformation, ReasonKit’s ProofGuard tool is designed specifically to verify claims against multiple sources.
Common Fact-Checking Questions
“Is this claim true?”
rk-core think "Claim: You should drink 8 glasses of water a day. Is this true?" --balanced
“Is this statistic accurate?”
rk-core think "Someone said 90% of startups fail. Is this accurate? What's the real number?" --balanced
“Is this quote real?”
rk-core think "Did Einstein really say 'The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results'?" --balanced
“Is this news story accurate?”
rk-core think "Article claims [specific claim]. How can I verify this?" --deep
Example Analysis
Question: “Is it true that we only use 10% of our brain?”
rk-core think "People say we only use 10% of our brain. Is this true?" --balanced
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ FACT CHECK: "We only use 10% of our brain" ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 💡 GIGATHINK: Examining the Claim │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. ORIGIN: Where did this claim come from? │
│ 2. DEFINITION: What does "use" mean here? │
│ 3. EVIDENCE: What does neuroscience say? │
│ 4. PERSISTENCE: Why do people believe this? │
│ 5. INCENTIVES: Who benefits from this myth? │
│ 6. VARIATIONS: Are there kernels of truth? │
│ 7. EXPERTS: What do neurologists say? │
│ 8. IMAGING: What do brain scans show? │
│ 9. DAMAGE: What happens with brain injuries? │
│ 10. EVOLUTION: Would evolution allow 90% waste? │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ⚡ LASERLOGIC: Analyzing the Logic │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ LOGICAL PROBLEM 1: Definition ambiguity │
│ → "Use" is undefined. At any moment? Over a day? │
│ → We don't use 100% of muscles simultaneously either │
│ │
│ LOGICAL PROBLEM 2: Evolutionary absurdity │
│ → Brain uses 20% of body's energy │
│ → Evolution wouldn't maintain expensive unused tissue │
│ │
│ LOGICAL PROBLEM 3: Medical evidence │
│ → Small brain damage causes significant impairment │
│ → If 90% were unused, damage would be mostly harmless │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🛡️ PROOFGUARD: Source Verification │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SOURCE 1: Scientific American │
│ → "We use virtually every part of the brain" │
│ → Brain imaging shows activity throughout │
│ → VERDICT: Myth is FALSE │
│ │
│ SOURCE 2: Johns Hopkins Medicine │
│ → All brain regions have known functions │
│ → No "unused" 90% has ever been found │
│ → VERDICT: Myth is FALSE │
│ │
│ SOURCE 3: Nature Reviews Neuroscience │
│ → fMRI studies show all regions active │
│ → Different tasks activate different regions │
│ → VERDICT: Myth is FALSE │
│ │
│ ORIGIN TRACED: Misattributed to Einstein (no evidence) │
│ Possibly from 1900s self-help movement │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🔥 BRUTALHONESTY: Why This Myth Persists │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE IT: │
│ • It's flattering: "Imagine if you unlocked 100%!" │
│ • Self-help industry profits from it │
│ • It "explains" why we're not geniuses │
│ • It sounds scientific enough to be plausible │
│ │
│ THE REAL STORY: │
│ We use all of our brain, just not all at once. │
│ Like a keyboard—you don't press all keys simultaneously. │
│ Different tasks activate different regions. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
VERDICT: FALSE
The "10% of brain" claim is a well-documented myth with no
scientific basis. We use virtually all of our brain—just
different parts for different tasks at different times.
Fact-Checking Profile
[profiles.factcheck]
tools = ["laserlogic", "proofguard", "brutalhonesty"]
proofguard_sources = 5
proofguard_require_citation = true
brutalhonesty_severity = "medium"
timeout = 180
Source Quality Tiers
ProofGuard categorizes sources by reliability:
| Tier | Source Types | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Peer-reviewed journals, official statistics, primary sources | High |
| Tier 2 | Major news outlets, established institutions, expert interviews | Medium-High |
| Tier 3 | Wikipedia, general news, secondary sources | Medium |
| Tier 4 | Blogs, social media, opinion pieces | Low |
Red Flags for Misinformation
ReasonKit watches for:
| Red Flag | Example | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| No sources cited | “Studies show…” without citation | Ask for specific study |
| Emotional language | “SHOCKING discovery!” | Seek neutral sources |
| Single source | Entire claim rests on one study | Triangulate |
| Old data | “Research from 1995” | Find recent data |
| Conflicts of interest | Study funded by interested party | Note potential bias |
| Appeals to authority | “Einstein said…” | Verify attribution |
Verification Checklist
When fact-checking, ReasonKit helps you answer:
- Who made this claim originally?
- What’s their expertise or potential bias?
- Can I find the primary source?
- Do multiple independent sources confirm it?
- Are there credible sources that dispute it?
- Is the data current and relevant?
- Am I emotionally invested in the answer?
Tips for Better Fact-Checking
- Start skeptical — Assume claims need verification
- Find the original — Trace claims to primary sources
- Check multiple sources — One source isn’t enough
- Consider motives — Who benefits from this being believed?
- Update beliefs — Be willing to change your mind with evidence
- Note uncertainty — It’s okay to say “I don’t know”
Related
- Research — Academic research verification
- ProofGuard — The verification ThinkTool
- Deep Profile — For thorough verification