Put the assumption on the map
Map claims, assumptions, objections and replies. Attach evidence to a claim and record both what it supports and what it cannot establish.
Ethics, logic and discussion · Mac, iPhone, Android and Windows · by Tristin Hassell
Reason Circle
An ethics case, from first claim to spoken reply
- Private development editions
Private editions for Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android
A student states a position. A teammate asks what supports it. A coach points to the assumption that needs work. Reason Circle gives each of those contributions somewhere to go: a case, an argument map, an evidence note or the next rehearsal.
What you can do
Answer the strongest objection
Reconstruct a strong opposing position, keep concessions and test a principle against a counterexample. Compare alternatives through six moral lenses without an automatic verdict.
Check the inference, then question the premises
Look up definitions and notation, build truth tables and check supported forward-inference proof steps. Explore knowledge, evidence, uncertainty and forms of inference.
Plan the next speaking turn
Plan speaking turns, customize a classroom practice sequence and use a timed rehearsal. Keep human assessments and the observations behind them together.
Leave feedback on the exact claim
Attach comments to the work, distinguish private coaching from student-visible feedback, and preserve snapshots. Review a student packet before exporting it.
From an oral response to an argument
Organize editable transcript segments by speaker, claim, reason, objection or reply. On Mac, optional supported on-device transcription helps prepare text for your review. The other editions use typed or pasted transcripts.
Editions and availability
Reason Circle 0.4.0 is the private Mac edition. The private iPhone, Android and Windows editions are version 0.2.0 and offer a focused set of case, argument, study, rehearsal and review tools. They use typed or pasted transcripts and do not connect to agents or remote teams. The Mac edition has the full set of 24 tools and optional supported transcription. Public downloads and a release date have not been announced; these editions are not available from this website. Installation and use on phone and Windows hardware still need device checks.
Follow the case through five stages
Start in Case, make the reasoning visible in Argument, examine its foundations in Study, try it aloud in Rehearse, and return to what changed in Review. On Mac, all 24 tools remain searchable from All tools. The current case and your Individual, Team or Referee role stay visible as you move.
Read an argument as a map or an outline. Follow the phase labels beside the rehearsal clock, inspect feedback beside a proof line, and review the clearly labeled student or private coach packet before sharing it. Warm paper, teal and ochre distinguish the working areas; Reduce decoration simplifies the view.
Practice, with clear boundaries
Individual, Team and Referee are local workflows, not remote collaboration or separate accounts. The rehearsal profile is a teaching aid. Check the current event’s rules and permitted resources with its organizers. Human judgments remain human: the app does not choose a debate winner, certify evidence or resolve a moral question.
Truth tables cover bounded classical propositional logic. The proof checker accepts a stated forward-inference subset; it is not a complete natural-deduction or predicate-logic system. An unfinished proof is not a finding of invalidity.
A shared workshop, separate workspaces
Build a classroom argument in Argument Workshop, assign symbols to its statements and examine the truth assignments. Eight guided lessons connect the reasoning to generated Python that students can inspect. A drill builder lets a coach write a hint, feedback and success criteria. You can also open this workshop in Commonroom. Generated code is shown for study; neither app executes it.
Move an argument between the apps by reviewing and exporting an argument file. Projects, private notes and credentials do not synchronize automatically. Explore Commonroom →
Information
- Version
- 0.4.0
- Requires
- Mac: Apple silicon with macOS 14 or later · iPhone, Android and Windows: focused private editions; tools differ by device
- Languages
- English
- Category
- Education
- Developer
- Tristin Hassell
- Availability
- Private development editions. Public downloads are not open.
Data and privacy
- Stays on your device: Encrypted cases, argument maps, feedback, rehearsal notes and the local Argument Workshop.
- Leaves your device: Only the files and text you choose to export or share. Optional transcription requires supported on-device recognition.
- Never collected: No student accounts, analytics or connected assistant requests. Role choices do not create separate access permissions.
Help
Email hello@gatheredcommonspress.com. I answer within three business days.
Software by Tristin Hassell. Published by Gathered Commons Press LLC.