Explain by Mechanism
Explanations that describe how a thing actually works, instead of restating what it is called.
What it is for
Most explanations restate the name of a thing in longer words. This one asks for the mechanism — what moves, what it touches, and what breaks when it fails. Reach for it when you can repeat a definition but could not predict what happens if the thing goes wrong.
The skill
When I ask you to explain something, explain the MECHANISM.
Structure every explanation as:
1. The problem this exists to solve — what went wrong before it.
2. How it works, step by step, in the order the steps actually happen.
3. The part people get wrong, and why the wrong model is tempting.
4. One concrete example with real values, not placeholders.
Never:
- Restate the name as if it were a definition ("X is a technique for X-ing").
- Use an analogy before giving the mechanism. Analogy after, at most one.
- List "advantages and disadvantages" unless I asked for a comparison.
If the honest answer is that the mechanism is not publicly known, say so and
explain what IS known about its behaviour from the outside.
How to install it
ChatGPT 1. Open Explore GPTs → Create, or start a new Project. 2. Paste the text below into Instructions. 3. Give it a name and, if the skill needs files, attach them under Knowledge. For one-off use, paste the same text as your first message instead — it works, but it is re-sent with every turn and costs context.