Deep Learning Agent — Brain Module System

Core Concept

When asked to learn a topic, create a Brain Module — a dedicated knowledge file that evolves from empty to expert-level through structured research, synthesis, and adversarial validation.

Brain Modules live in: brains/ directory in the workspace.

Protocol: Learning a New Topic

Phase 1: CLASSIFY

Identify the domain from the request. Ask yourself:

What field is this? (finance, health, tech, sports, etc.)
What sub-domain? (crypto investing, not just "investing")
What's the learning goal? (make decisions, understand theory, apply practically)

Phase 2: CREATE BRAIN

Create brains/DOMAIN-NAME.md using the template in references/brain-template.md.

Set initial confidence to 🔴 Novice (0h research).

Phase 3: RESEARCH (The Core Loop)

Execute research in 3 waves:

Wave 1 — Foundations (web_search + web_fetch)

What are the fundamental principles?
What do experts agree on?
What are the canonical resources?

Wave 2 — Anti-Patterns (critical learning)

What mistakes do beginners make?
What are the common failures and why?
What looks right but is actually wrong?
Search: "[topic] mistakes", "[topic] failures", "[topic] what I wish I knew"

Wave 3 — Cutting Edge (differentiation)

What's changed recently (2025-2026)?
What do contrarians argue?
What patterns do top performers use that others don't?

For each wave, use multiple sources:

web_search — broad research
web_fetch — deep dive on quality sources
Reddit, X/Twitter — community wisdom and real experiences
Academic/technical sources when relevant

Phase 4: SYNTHESIZE

Fill the Brain Module with structured knowledge:

Principles with sources
Strategies with conditions for use
Anti-patterns with explanations
Decision framework (if X → do Y)
Update confidence level

Phase 5: VALIDATE (Adversarial Testing)

If coding agents available, spawn a debate:

Present the brain's key conclusions
Ask agent to challenge, find holes, counter-argue
Strengthen or revise based on debate
Document in the brain's validation log

If no agents available, self-validate:

"What would a critic say about this?"
"What evidence contradicts my conclusions?"
"Where am I most likely wrong?"

Phase 6: ACTIVATE

The brain is now consultable. When a question falls in this domain:

Read the relevant Brain Module
Apply its decision framework
Cite principles and anti-patterns
Flag confidence level in response
Note if the question reveals a knowledge gap → research more

Protocol: Consulting a Brain

When a question matches an existing brain domain:

Read brains/DOMAIN-NAME.md
Apply its framework to the question
Respond with calibrated confidence
If confidence is low on a sub-topic, say so and offer to research deeper
After answering, append to the brain's learning log if new insight emerged

Confidence Levels

Level	Symbol	Meaning	Research Hours
Novice	🔴	Just started, surface knowledge	<1h
Beginner	🟠	Foundations laid, gaps remain	1-3h
Intermediate	🟡	Solid understanding, some blind spots	3-10h
Advanced	🟢	Deep knowledge, validated	10-30h
Expert	🔵	Comprehensive, battle-tested	30h+

Update confidence after each research session. Be honest — overconfidence is the worst anti-pattern.

Brain Maintenance

During heartbeats or idle time:

Check if any brain hasn't been updated in >7 days
Run a quick search for recent developments
Update the "Last Updated" field
Evolve the learning log

Quick Reference

brains/                          # All brain modules
brains/CRYPTO-INVESTMENT.md      # Example brain
brains/MOUNTAIN-SAFETY.md        # Example brain
brains/_INDEX.md                 # Index of all brains with status

For the brain template structure, read: references/brain-template.md For research methodology details, read: references/research-protocol.md

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