This chapter shows how users can use Socrates DigitalTM to analyze information, identify assumptions, and apply concepts to determine conclusions. After the user determines the conclusions, the next step for users is to predict the implications of those conclusions. Predicting the implications is followed by a step where the user summarizes the conclusions and implications into a viewpoint. Afterward, the user evaluates this viewpoint, and Socrates DigitalTM presents the opportunity to create another viewpoint. After the user decides there is no more evidence to gather, Socrates DigitalTM will calculate a score that provides a confidence level in the current viewpoint for the user.
TopIntroduction
As demonstrated in the investment example dialog in Chapter 4, after the user persona analyzes the information, identifies the assumptions, and applies the concepts, the next step is to determine the conclusions. After determining the conclusions, the next step is predicting the implications of those conclusions. Following this step, the next step the user persona summarizes the conclusions and implications into a viewpoint. Afterward, the user persona evaluates this viewpoint, and Socrates DigitalTM provides the opportunity to create another viewpoint.
As Figure 1 highlights, the “Determine Conclusions” process is the next module to be executed after the user persona has completed the Analyze Information, Identify Assumptions, and Apply Concepts modules. In the Determine Conclusions process, Socrates DigitalTM guides the user persona in summarizing the analyzed information, identified assumptions, and applied concepts into a conclusion. Afterward, Socrates DigitalTM asks the user persona to rate the logic of this conclusion. In this process, Socrates DigitalTM guides the user persona with questions from Paul and Elder’s subcategory of Inferences and Conclusions that belong to their main category of Questions that Target the Quality of Elements of Thought (Paul & Elder, 2019).
Figure 1. The Determine Conclusions Subprocess of the Socrates DigitalTM Module
TopInside The Determine Conclusions Subprocess
Below, the pseudo-code for the Determine_Conclusions subprocess is listed. The first comment in the subprocess tells us that the system persona’s question will ask the user persona is in the Questions that Target the Parts of Thinking category. The first comment also tells us that the question for the user persona is in the Questioning Inferences and Conclusions subcategory. The second comment tells us that Socrates DigitalTM will ask the user persona to identify the conclusion that seems most reasonable given the concepts, assumptions, and information gathered so far.
/* Questions that Target the Parts of Thinking – Questioning
/* Inferences and Conclusions
/* Ask user persona to Determine Conclusion of the analysis
BEGIN Subprocess Determine_Conclusions
/* Generate a Random Number Between 1 and 3 – the Possible Forms of the /* Question
RandomInteger:= GenerateRandomInteger[1,3]
/* Select a Form of the Question
CASE RandomInteger OF
1: Question:= “Given these concepts, assumptions, and
information, what is the most reasonable conclusion?”
2: Question:= “What is the most reasonable conclusion with these
concepts, assumptions, and information?”
3: Question:= “With these concepts, assumptions, and
information, what is the best conclusion?”
END_CASE
OUTPUT Question
INPUT Answer
Conclusion_Description: = Answer
/* Call Subprocess Determine_Conclusion_Questioning_Inferences and Get
/* an Answer
Subprocess Determine_Conclusion_Questioning_Inferences (Answer)
Conclusion_Logic: = Answer
/* Save Answer to Current Session Data Point Description
INSERT INTO Conclusions_Table (Session_ID, Conclusion_Description, Conclusion_Logic) VALUES (Current_Session_ID, Conclusion_Description, Conclusion_Logic)
END Subprocess Determine_Conclusions