Skip to content
Research & AnalysisIntermediate

Find the Strongest Counterarguments

Stress-test a claim or plan by getting the most serious objections, the evidence that would support them, and how you might respond.

Share on X (opens in a new tab)Share on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)

Make it yours

Fill in each variable and watch the prompt update. Anything still in {{braces}} needs your input before you use it.

Fill in the blanks

0 of 4 filled

The position, plan, or belief you want challenged.

Your main reasons for holding this position.

Relevant background or constraints.

How many counterarguments you want.

Live previewUnfilled
Act as a fair-minded critic whose job is to stress-test my thinking, not to agree with me.

My position: {{claim}}
Why I believe it: {{reasoning}}
Context: {{context}}

Do the following:
1. Steelman the opposing view in 2–3 sentences — the most persuasive version a thoughtful expert would make.
2. List the {{number}} strongest counterarguments, strongest first. For each give:
   - The argument
   - What kind of evidence would support it (describe it; do not cite specific studies unless you are confident they exist)
   - How damaging it is to my position: low / medium / high
   - A possible response I could make, or "No good response" if there isn't one
3. Name any assumption in my reasoning that, if false, would sink the whole position.

Be direct. If my position is mostly right, say so — but still give the best objections. Mark anything you're unsure about with "(uncertain)".
Open in Playground

Example

Example input

Filled prompt
Act as a fair-minded critic whose job is to stress-test my thinking, not to agree with me.

My position: Our small bakery should launch a subscription box for weekly bread delivery.
Why I believe it: Regulars keep asking for delivery, subscriptions give predictable revenue, and we have spare oven capacity on Mondays.
Context: Two-person business in a mid-size town; no delivery staff yet.

Do the following:
1. Steelman the opposing view in 2–3 sentences — the most persuasive version a thoughtful expert would make.
2. List the 4 strongest counterarguments, strongest first. For each give:
   - The argument
   - What kind of evidence would support it (describe it; do not cite specific studies unless you are confident they exist)
   - How damaging it is to my position: low / medium / high
   - A possible response I could make, or "No good response" if there isn't one
3. Name any assumption in my reasoning that, if false, would sink the whole position.

Be direct. If my position is mostly right, say so — but still give the best objections. Mark anything you're unsure about with "(uncertain)".

Example output

Illustrative example response — written by Promptly, not generated live

Steelman of the opposing view Subscriptions shift the bakery from selling bread to running a logistics business. For a two-person shop, delivery time and churn could cost more than the predictable revenue brings in.

Counterarguments

  1. Delivery costs eat the margin — Evidence: your cost per drop (time, fuel, packaging) vs. average order value. Damage: high. Response: start with pickup-only subscriptions, or a small fixed delivery zone with a fee.
  2. Stated interest ≠ paying subscribers — Evidence: how many regulars pre-pay when asked. Damage: medium. Response: run a pre-sale before buying any equipment.
  3. Churn after the novelty fades — Evidence: cancellation patterns in food subscriptions generally (uncertain how this applies to local bakeries). Damage: medium. Response: allow skip-a-week instead of cancel.
  4. Monday capacity may not match demand days — Evidence: which days customers actually want bread. Damage: low. Response: survey preferred delivery day.

Make-or-break assumption That you can deliver without adding paid staff or taking the owners away from baking. If that's false, the plan probably loses money.

Why it works

  • Role prompting as a critic counteracts the model's tendency to agree with the user.
  • Asking for evidence types instead of citations keeps the critique useful without inviting made-up references.
  • Damage ratings and responses turn a list of objections into something you can act on, and the "make-or-break assumption" step surfaces the hidden risk.

Techniques used