How the role is applied.
State the present pattern
Describe the observed structure before selecting a precedent.
Choose a bounded reference case
Use a historical case only when a relevant mechanism is supported by evidence.
Compare mechanisms
Name both the structural similarities and the conditions that differ.
Test explanatory gain
Keep the analogy only if it explains more than a literal reading of the present evidence.
Output and failure condition.
Output
A bounded analogy or first-principles interpretation with explicit similarities, differences, and limits.
Failure condition
It fails if history is used as decoration, an archetype is forced onto the evidence, or differences that would break the analogy are omitted.
Worked example
For an infrastructure buildout, Darśan may compare rail or telecom only after identifying the shared mechanism—fixed investment ahead of utilization—and must also state how market structure, technology, and financing differ.
Inspiration without implied computation.
Darśan draws on comparative history, philosophy, and first-principles analysis. Historical traditions and archetypes are optional sources of hypotheses, not evidence that the present must follow a predetermined cycle.
All current outputs are software-assisted or model-generated and require human review before they become part of an FP1 decision brief. See the full analysis architecture.