DR-301a · Module 2

Contradiction Detection & Resolution

4 min read

When Source A says a company's revenue grew 15% and Source B says it grew 8%, one of them is wrong — or they are measuring different things. Contradiction detection is the systematic process of identifying when sources disagree, categorizing the type of disagreement, and resolving it with explicit reasoning. An intelligence pipeline that does not detect contradictions delivers false confidence. You think you have a finding when you actually have an unresolved dispute between your sources.

Contradictions fall into three categories. Factual contradictions: sources disagree on a specific measurable claim — a date, a dollar amount, a percentage. One source is likely wrong. Resolution: verify against the primary source closest to the event. Framing contradictions: sources agree on the facts but disagree on the interpretation. Company X's layoffs are "right-sizing for profitability" in one source and "desperate cost-cutting amid declining revenue" in another. Both can be simultaneously true from different analytical frames. Resolution: present both frames with their supporting logic. Temporal contradictions: sources report different facts because they captured the situation at different points in time. Resolution: order by timestamp and track the evolution.

Do This

  • Categorize every contradiction — factual, framing, or temporal — before attempting resolution
  • For factual contradictions, trace back to the primary source and verify
  • For framing contradictions, present both interpretations with supporting evidence
  • For temporal contradictions, build a timeline that shows how the situation evolved

Avoid This

  • Average contradicting numbers — the average of a right answer and a wrong answer is still wrong
  • Default to the more authoritative source without checking — authority does not guarantee accuracy on specific claims
  • Ignore contradictions in the hope that downstream consumers will not notice
  • Treat all contradictions as errors to resolve — some contradictions reveal genuine complexity