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R0050/2026-03-31-02/Q002

Query: Beyond intelligence analysis and science, which other disciplines have formal truth-seeking methodologies that include structured evidence evaluation? For each, identify whether it contributes concepts not already captured by ICD 203, GRADE, PRISMA, Cochrane, IPCC, Chamberlin/Platt, ROBIS, or NAS.

BLUF: All eight named disciplines have formal truth-seeking methodologies. Five contribute novel concepts: law (consequence-calibrated proof thresholds), auditing (sufficiency-appropriateness dual-axis with reliability hierarchy), FMEA (three-factor RPN with detection dimension), historical source criticism (external/internal criticism, proximity hierarchy), and SIFT (lateral reading). Three contribute refinements already captured by GRADE/Cochrane: Bradford Hill, OCEBM, CASP.

Probability: N/A (open-ended survey) | Confidence: High


Summary

Entity Description
Query Definition Query text, scope, status
Assessment Full analytical product with reasoning chain
ACH Matrix Evidence x hypotheses diagnosticity analysis
Self-Audit ROBIS-adapted 5-domain audit (process + source verification)

Hypotheses

ID Hypothesis Status
H1 All formal + most contribute novel concepts Supported
H2 Formal but mostly redundant with reference set Inconclusive
H3 Not formal or not novel Eliminated

Searches

ID Target Results Selected
S01 Legal standards of proof 10 2
S02 PCAOB/GAAS auditing standards 10 1
S03 Bradford Hill, FMEA, FTA 30 3
S04 Historical criticism, SIFT, CRAAP 20 2
S05 OCEBM, CASP 20 2

Sources

Source Description Reliability Relevance
SRC01 Legal standards of proof High High
SRC02 PCAOB AS 1105 High High
SRC03 Bradford Hill criteria Medium-High High
SRC04 FMEA methodology Medium-High High
SRC05 FTA methodology Medium-High Medium-High
SRC06 Historical source criticism Medium High
SRC07 SIFT / CRAAP Medium Medium
SRC08 OCEBM levels of evidence High Medium
SRC09 CASP checklists High Medium

Novelty Assessment Summary

Discipline Formal? Novel? Key Novel Concept
Legal standards of proof Yes Yes Consequence-calibrated proof thresholds
Auditing (PCAOB) Yes Yes Sufficiency-appropriateness dual axis; evidence reliability hierarchy
Epidemiology (Bradford Hill) Yes No Captured by GRADE
Medical diagnosis (OCEBM) Yes No Refinement of GRADE (question-type specificity)
Medical appraisal (CASP) Yes No Captured by Cochrane/ROBIS
Engineering safety (FMEA) Yes Yes RPN with detection dimension
Engineering safety (FTA) Yes Yes Boolean logic for causal decomposition
Historical source criticism Yes Yes External/internal criticism; proximity hierarchy
Information literacy (SIFT) Yes Yes Lateral reading
Information literacy (CRAAP) Yes No Captured by GRADE/Cochrane

Revisit Triggers

  • Publication of a cross-disciplinary evidence evaluation synthesis that integrates these frameworks
  • Major revision to GRADE or Cochrane that incorporates concepts from law, auditing, or engineering safety
  • Development of a unified evidence evaluation framework for AI/research agents that draws on multiple disciplines