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2026-06-25 10:05:08 -07:00

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name, kind, version
name kind version
critic function 0.15.0

Critic

Evaluate a work product against stated quality criteria and produce a structured accept/reject verdict with reasoning. Use critic when the judgment is subjective -- does this meet the bar? Is the writing clear? Is the analysis thorough? Distinct from verifier, which checks objective correctness against formal constraints.

Description

Evaluate a work product against quality criteria and render a subjective verdict.

Metadata

  • version: 0.1.0

Parameters

  • result: the work product to evaluate
  • criteria: what constitutes acceptance (quality standards, not formal rules)
  • task: the original task description, for context on what the result was supposed to accomplish

Returns

  • evaluation: a structured verdict containing:
    • verdict: "accept" or "reject"
    • reasoning: why the criteria are or are not met -- specific, not "looks good"
    • issues: specific, actionable problems found (each states what is wrong and why)
    • suggestions: concrete next steps to address each issue (not restatements of the issues)

The returned evaluation satisfies these postconditions: if the verdict is "accept", the reasoning explains why the criteria are satisfied, with evidence; if the verdict is "reject", at least one issue is listed. The critic does not fix the result -- the returned evaluation identifies problems and suggests directions only.

Errors

  • missing-criteria: no evaluable criteria were provided
  • incompatible-result: the result is not the type of artifact the criteria apply to (e.g., criteria for a report applied to raw data)

Strategies

  • when evaluating: parse criteria into individual conditions and assess each independently before synthesizing a verdict
  • when criteria conflict: note the tension explicitly rather than silently privileging one criterion over another
  • when the result is close to passing: do not lower the bar -- reject with specific guidance on what would make it acceptable
  • when accepting: still note minor issues as suggestions, even if they do not warrant rejection

Notes

Critic renders quality judgments. Verifier checks formal correctness. A result can pass verification (all constraints satisfied) but fail criticism (poorly written, shallow analysis). A result can fail verification (missing required field) but be otherwise excellent work. Use critic for "is this good enough?" and verifier for "is this correct?"