Cogitatum

Keep the prose. See the reasoning.

A small markup language for arguments in ordinary writing.

Project Cogitatum

The light is on the language.

Available now Cogitatum, the language
In the workshop Agent research
Further out Cogitatio

Question

Should the library stay open later?

[O] doubts the evidence. [O/] doubts the step.

Open this source in the Playground →

Claim

Formalize only as far as the question needs.

1Write

- A neighbourhood library is considering later opening hours.
- The library should stay open until eight on weekdays.
  - Forty people visited after six at last month's evening event.

0 points · 0 bearings

An ordinary outline.

2Mark what matters

- A neighbourhood library is considering later opening hours.
- [C] The library should stay open until eight on weekdays.
  - [G] Forty people visited after six at last month's evening event.

2 points · 1 bearing

A claim, and its reason.

3Question it

- A neighbourhood library is considering later opening hours.
- [C] The library should stay open until eight on weekdays.
  - [G] Forty people visited after six at last month's evening event.
    - [O] The count included repeat entries.
    - [O/] People may have come for the event itself.

4 points · 3 bearings

Doubt the evidence, or the step.

The marks

A mark says what a line does.

[Q]QuestionWhat the inquiry asks.
[C]ClaimA position, or an answer to the question above it.
[G]GroundA reason for the line it sits under.
[O]ObjectionChallenges the line it sits under.
[O/]Objection to the stepQuestions the step from the reason to the claim.
[R]ReplyAnswers an objection.
[D]DistinctionClarifies what the line above means.
[?]GapSomething the argument still needs.

Unmarked lines stay prose. @name refers back.

Distinction

It shows the structure. It does not judge it.

Plain text: A Markdown outline, in any editor.
No verdicts: The marks are checked. The reasoning is yours.
Nothing to sign up for: Local or in the browser. No account, no AI.

Gap

Your note goes here.

Project Cogitatum

The language is the first part.

See it as a sky ↑

Available now

The language and its tools

Cogitatum 0.5.0, cog, the reader, the Playground.

In the workshop

Agent research

An agent proposes structure; a person checks it.

Further out

Cogitatio

An inquiry played move by move, across revisions.

Bring a note where a mark helped or got in the way: issues on GitHub.