diff --git a/app/lint.py b/app/lint.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f777ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/lint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""Brenner-style linting for inferences.
+
+Goal: prevent low-quality, non-falsifiable, or self-deceiving inferences from
+reaching the triage queue.
+
+This is inspired by BrennerBot's methodology (exclusion tests, third alternative,
+chastity vs impotence, anomaly quarantine).
+
+This module is local-only and heuristic by design.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
+
+
+@dataclass
+class LintIssue:
+    code: str
+    message: str
+
+
+def lint_inference_candidate(candidate: Dict[str, Any]) -> List[LintIssue]:
+    """Return a list of issues; empty means candidate passes."""
+    issues: List[LintIssue] = []
+
+    text = (candidate.get("inference") or candidate.get("statement") or "").strip()
+    source = (candidate.get("source") or "").strip().lower()
+
+    if not text:
+        issues.append(LintIssue("empty", "Inference text is empty."))
+        return issues
+
+    # 1) Trivial / non-actionable
+    trivial = [
+        "bryce exists",
+        "the user exists",
+        "this is a message",
+        "this is an email",
+    ]
+    if any(t in text.lower() for t in trivial):
+        issues.append(LintIssue("trivial", "Inference appears trivial/non-actionable."))
+
+    # 2) Confidence sanity
+    conf = candidate.get("confidence")
+    try:
+        if conf is not None and not (0.0 <= float(conf) <= 1.0):
+            issues.append(LintIssue("confidence_range", "Confidence must be in [0,1]."))
+    except Exception:
+        issues.append(LintIssue("confidence_parse", "Confidence is not numeric."))
+
+    # 3) Require discriminability hook (Brenner: exclusion / kill test)
+    # In MVP, we encode this as requiring either an explicit 'kill_test'
+    # or at least one question-like falsifier.
+    kill_test = candidate.get("kill_test") or candidate.get("falsifier")
+    if not kill_test:
+        # soft check: prompt-like strings
+        if "never" not in text.lower() and "if" not in text.lower():
+            issues.append(
+                LintIssue(
+                    "no_kill_test",
+                    "Missing falsifier/kill-test. Add `kill_test` (e.g., 'If this inference were false, we would observe...').",
+                )
+            )
+
+    # 4) Third alternative check (Brenner: both could be wrong)
+    # If candidate presents an A-vs-B dichotomy, require a third alternative.
+    alt = candidate.get("alternatives")
+    if (" either " in text.lower() and " or " in text.lower()) and not alt:
+        issues.append(
+            LintIssue(
+                "no_third_alternative",
+                "Candidate looks like a dichotomy; add `alternatives` including 'both could be wrong'.",
+            )
+        )
+
+    # 5) Validity check (chastity vs impotence)
+    # For anything derived from a failed action/absence, require distinguishing
+    # 'won't' vs 'can't'.
+    if any(w in text.lower() for w in ["never", "doesn't", "didn't", "won't", "can't"]):
+        if not candidate.get("validity_checks"):
+            issues.append(
+                LintIssue(
+                    "no_validity_check",
+                    "Candidate implies an absence/failure; add `validity_checks` to separate measurement failure vs hypothesis failure.",
+                )
+            )
+
+    return issues
+
+
+def passes_lint(candidate: Dict[str, Any]) -> bool:
+    return len(lint_inference_candidate(candidate)) == 0
diff --git a/app/main.py b/app/main.py
index b31906c..a91e4f5 100644
--- a/app/main.py
+++ b/app/main.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from app.brain import brain  # Import the Brain
 from app.ingestors.chatgpt import ChatGPTIngestor
 from app.ingestors.safari import SafariIngestor
+from app.lint import lint_inference_candidate
 
 app = FastAPI()
 
@@ -178,12 +179,14 @@ async def process_raw_data():
 
     # Process batch (limit to 5 for now to avoid freezing)
     for item in raw_items[:5]:
-        # Skip if we already have an inference for this content? (Simplification: process all)
-
         # Call Brain
-        # Use brain.process_raw_data logic (we need to update brain.py first or inline it here)
-        # Let's use the existing generate_inference method for now
         inference = await brain.generate_inference(item["source"], item["content"])
+
+        # Brenner-style linting: skip low-quality candidates rather than polluting triage
+        issues = lint_inference_candidate(inference)
+        if issues:
+            continue
+
         new_inferences.append(inference)
         generated_count += 1