R0054/2026-03-31/C002/H2¶
Statement¶
The claim is partially correct: negative constraints help but are not strictly necessary — improved positive instructions alone can achieve consistency for complex tasks.
Status¶
Current: Inconclusive
Supporting Evidence¶
| Evidence | Summary |
|---|---|
| SRC03-E01 | Claude documentation suggests general instructions can sometimes outperform prescriptive steps, implying positive-only might work for some complex tasks |
Contradicting Evidence¶
| Evidence | Summary |
|---|---|
| SRC01-E01 | The recommended 80/20 ratio implies both types are needed, not just positive |
| SRC02-E01 | Hard negatives serve non-negotiable constraint functions that positive instructions cannot replicate |
Reasoning¶
This hypothesis has weak support. While it is true that some complex tasks can be handled with well-crafted positive instructions alone, the evidence consistently indicates that negative constraints provide a distinct function that positive instructions cannot replicate — specifically, preventing known failure modes and establishing non-negotiable boundaries.
Relationship to Other Hypotheses¶
H2 represents a weaker version of the claim. The evidence does not support this weaker reading — the literature consistently frames the relationship as complementary and necessary, not merely helpful.