Method and system for conducting adversarial discussions over a computer network

摘要

The patent describes and claims methods and systems for hosting and administering a forum for adversarial discussion. The invention consists of the underlying concepts, rules, and features of a distributed software program for conducting online debates. These concepts, rules, and features create a forum and an online tool for enforcing focused, rational debate. Rules are enforced that prevent digression, noise over content, and non-substantive, unproductive participation. In one embodiment, the method of hosting a debate includes the step of accepting a first statement from a topic author. By submitting the first statement, the topic author is creating a topic structure, which represents the basis for a debate on a particular topic. The topic author adds statements to the topic structure that can support the first statement and can proceed to build the topic structure which is comprised of debate structures containing specific statements and related data, such as critiques, rebuttals, a revision history, and scores. Other debate participants can react to the statements in a topic structure by submitting critiques of statements and can rank statements and rebuttals. A topic structure is manifested by at least two visual components: a statement map and a topic layout. These features of the present invention provide a context for the debate, whereby the ability to revise statements, critiques and rebuttals prevents digression allows for a rational debate in a controlled forum.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method of a forum for an adversarial discussion, the method comprising:
accepting a first statement from a topic author, wherein the first statement is labeled as an assumption statement on a first computer, creating a topic layout based on file first statement on the first computer, the topic layout representing the basis for an adversarial discussion; allowing the topic author to add one or more secondary statements on the first computer, wherein a secondary statement can support the first statement, and if the first statement is an assumption statement, then relabeling the first statement from an assumption statement to a conclusion statement; enabling a plurality of users using a plurality of computer users to independently critique the first statement or the one or more secondary statements and enabling the topic author to rebut said critiques wherein revisioning is required upon a limited structure thereby preventing digression wherein every critique is made against only a single said statement of the original topic; allowing the topic author to create said topic layout on the first computer wherein the topic layout displays in a visual tree structure the explicit relationships among the one or more secondary statements and the first statement, thereby enabling adversarial online discussions without a moderator and facilitating the plurality of users and the topic author to succinctly define th0ir own positions, and wherein the first computer and the plurality of computers communicate over a network; and displaying one or more statements of disagreement by the plurality of users and excluding from view a plurality of extraneous earlier revisions of statements by the plurality of users made in identifying the one or more statements of disagreement, thereby allowing said plurality of computer users to make a contribution to the discussion that can not be hidden by repetitive rebuttals, therefore decreasing a noise-to-content ratio while automatically restricting the display depth of all content to a maximum of 3 levels, topic statement, critique and rebuttal and since said statements of disagreement are made on the fixed said topic each user can fully contribute to the discussion without having their contribution hidden as happens in time based messaging systems.