Set your own agenda
Start by providing the context for any subject that you want to think about. The world is your oyster.
It takes just one thought to start.
I want to think through…
It takes just one thought to start.
Scaffold is a digital platform optimized for critical thinking and human empowerment.
Whether you are looking to reclaim your brain from doomscrolling, to find space to reflect on a topic that’s preoccupying you, or to seek a source of external motivation for critical thinking, Scaffold has something for you.
Like critical thinking in real life, Scaffold may not always result in a concrete answer. What you gain is the process itself—the opportunity to sit with your thoughts.
At each stage of your thinking, Scaffold empowers you to maximize your independence and creativity.
Remember kernels of insight
Use the formatting bar to emphasize words or phrases that reflect real-time ingenuity.
An average, full-length interaction consists of around 20 user inputs. Consult additional resources for factual answers.
What do you think?
You seem to have worked through a clear explanation for what the closeness reveals. Are you satisfied with your thinking on this, or is there another aspect of the vote's closeness you'd like to explore further?
Yes, that framing captures my original inquiry.
Got it. You've established that birthright citizenship was historically accepted, yet the vote was close. You've also suggested that the closeness reflects a shift in the Court's composition toward conservative justices who oppose it for electoral reasons. Does that framing capture what you're thinking, or is there another piece to how the closeness connects to what it reveals?
Establish your own criteria for success
Click the checkmark to conclude the interaction when you feel satisfied with your progress.
An average, full-length interaction consists of around 20 user inputs. Consult additional resources for factual answers.
What do you think?
You seem to have worked through a clear explanation for what the closeness reveals. Are you satisfied with your thinking on this, or is there another aspect you'd like to explore further?
Yes, that framing captures my original inquiry.
Reflect on your progress
At the end, take time to reflect on what you’ve uncovered during your session.
Interaction completed on
Takeaway 1
You seem to have worked through a clear explanation for what the closeness reveals. Are you satisfied with your thinking on this, or is there another aspect of the vote's closeness you'd like to explore further?
Save and export for future reference
Export the interaction, either as an HTML or Text file, to look back on your thought process later on.
SCAFFOLD
Birthright Citizenship
Interaction completed on
Birthright citizenship is intimately related to electoral mathematics
You seem to have worked through a clear explanation for what the closeness reveals. Are you satisfied with your thinking on this, or is there another aspect of the vote's closeness you'd like to explore further?
Frequently asked questions
What is Scaffold?
Scaffold is a digital support designed to help users develop their thoughts in academic and real-world contexts.
At the beginning of the interaction, Scaffold will support you in articulating a goal for the interaction. For the rest of the interaction, Scaffold uses a Socratic questioning approach that will guide you towards achieving that goal.
Why is your website called Scaffold?
Scaffold is a reference to the practice of scaffolding, a technique whereby individuals engage with new knowledge while receiving external support.
How is Scaffold different from other chatbots?
First and foremost, Scaffold will never make declarative statements, consult external sources, or give you the answer.
Scaffold has been designed to reflect the Socratic approach that Brendan and Hillary internalized in their time as student tutors. They have elaborated specific parameters on everything from the progression of the interaction (starting with context and then progressing to deep thinking); the structure of each Scaffold response (beginning with a neutral affirmation and following up with a question); the tone (curious, responsive, and professional); and the specific scaffolding approaches (e.g. asking “why?,” asking “so what?,” encouraging the consideration of counterpoints, drilling down on vague language, identifying possible connections between points).
In theory, one could roughly replicate Scaffold’s function by independently prompting a traditional chatbot. But the fact remains that the traditional chatbots do not, by default, provide that sort of scaffolding. Scaffold does. And it incorporates some other features in its interface to facilitate critical thinking and reflection, too.
How long is a typical interaction with Scaffold?
Technically, there’s no such thing as a “typical interaction,” as everyone’s thought development process is different. But for Brendan and Hillary, it generally takes at least 20 user inputs to reach a point where it feels like they have progressed on their original goal.
How should I start interacting with Scaffold?
See our Example Starting Points list, compiled with help from our users!
Does Scaffold make mistakes?
Scaffold draws exclusively from the context that the user provides and does not pull information from outside sources. If the user is interacting with Scaffold in a context where accuracy matters, they should independently consult and verify information.