Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M3503

Infinite Regress

Infinite Regress
StructureHigh supportLogic
Included
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

A defect in argumentation. To prove A, one needs B; to prove B, one needs C... If this does not stop, nothing can be proven. For example, "The world is supported by a turtle, and what is under the turtle? Another turtle..."

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Foundation seeking. Any valid knowledge system must have an unprovable "axiom" or "first principle" as a stopping point. When asking "why" (5 Whys), pay attention to finding the underlying fact that no longer needs explanation.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

In argumentation, each reason requires a deeper reason to support it, leading to an infinite regress of the explanatory chain that never reaches a foundation, often indicating that the theory needs to stop at some axiom or basis.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_regressZH · Explicit
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