Prompt Patterns|

A Pattern Language for Knowledge Engineering with Large Language Models

Governing Abstraction

Derives a governing principle or broader frame before solving the specific instance, so reasoning proceeds from a stable abstraction rather than surface details.

Governing Abstraction pattern diagram

Problem

Solving detail-heavy instances directly encourages surface-level manipulation and fragile reasoning that misses governing principles.

Solution

Force an abstraction step first (general question or explicit principle), then reason downward to the instance. Starting from higher-level representations constrains and stabilizes downstream inference.