Understanding
The gap, the model, why it works
What is RAYGUN OS?
RAYGUN OS is a cognitive operating system for experiment-driven minds.
A framework built on neuroscience research for working with how your brain actually functions—rather than forcing productivity systems that fight against your nature.
The Short Version
RAYGUN treats mental frames as experiments rather than fixed truths. Instead of forcing yourself to work, you treat every situation as an experiment and ask: "What frame makes engaging with this most alive?" The framework gives you choice at the moment between stimulus and response—the frame-selection point—and teaches you to make that choice consciously.
Core Concepts
The Frame-Selection Point
There's a gap between stimulus and response. In that gap, you choose how to frame what you're facing. RAYGUN makes this gap visible and gives you tools to use it.
Experiment Mode
Instead of grinding through tasks, treat everything as an experiment. "What happens if I try this?" replaces "I have to force myself to do this."
Fascination as Fuel
Some brains run on fascination, not discipline. RAYGUN works with this—treating curiosity and engagement as the primary energy source for work.
Frame Pragmatism
Frames are tools, not truths. The question isn't "what's the correct way to see this?" but "what frame makes engaging with this most alive?"
Who RAYGUN Is For
RAYGUN is for people whose brains run on fascination rather than discipline:
- People with ADHD or ADHD-like traits
- Creatives who can't force inspiration
- Builders and tinkerers who learn by doing
- Anyone who's tried GTD, Pomodoro, and other systems—and felt like they were fighting themselves
- People experiencing burnout from forcing productivity
If you've ever noticed that you're most productive when you're tinkering, experimenting, or genuinely curious—and everything gets harder the moment you try to "get serious"—RAYGUN describes how your brain already works at its best.
What Makes RAYGUN Different
Not a Productivity System
RAYGUN doesn't tell you how to organize tasks. It addresses why execution feels hard in the first place and gives you a different relationship with work.
Built on Research
Grounded in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Transparent about what's proven, what's supported, and what's a logical extension. See the research →
Convergent Discovery
These concepts have been independently discovered by masters across domains—from Bruce Lee to Csikszentmihalyi to Miles Davis. See the touchstones →
Free and Open Source
The complete 18,000-word framework is freely available under Creative Commons. There's nothing to buy. View on GitHub →
The Complete Architecture
RAYGUN is structured in four parts, from understanding to meaning:
Part 1
Part 2
Practicing
Core operation, two pathways, implementation, troubleshooting
Part 3
Deepening
Advanced states, self as frame, stage progression, applications
Part 4
Meaning
The paradox, the frame war, theoretical foundations
Quick Facts
Created by
Phillip Clapham
Version
7.0 (Jan 2026)
Length
~18,000 words
License
CC BY 4.0
Price
Free
Source
GitHub
Ready to try it?
The best way to understand RAYGUN is to experience it.