The Verification Asymmetry
Verification demands more integrity than creation. In both artificial and human intelligence, the asymmetry between generating ideas and verifying them reveals a fundamental constraint: minds cannot escape the gravity of their own assumptions without external reference points.
A system that generates its own verification inevitably reinforces its initial biases, creating an illusion of scrutiny rather than actual correction. This explains why an AI critiquing its own answers often reduces accuracy, whilst introducing an external, sound verifier significantly improves results.
True verification requires grounding in reality—whether through empirical testing, formal verification, or perspectives built on fundamentally different foundations. The most robust thinking emerges not from endless self-reflection, but from the creative tension between unfettered ideation and ruthlessly grounded verification.