System of structured argumentation for asynchronous collaboration and machine-based arbitration

A method for collecting and processing user input, the method comprising:

• presenting, by a processing circuit, a first user with a prompt for eliciting a first response, the first response comprising:
• a numerical portion comprising one or more numbers, and
• an explanatory portion;
• receiving, by the processing circuit, from the first user, the first response;
• receiving, by the processing circuit, from a second user, a fourth response;
• receiving, by the processing circuit, from each of a plurality of other users, a respective response of a plurality of other responses;
• displaying, by the processing circuit, to the first user, a first ordered list of other responses;
• displaying, by the processing circuit, to the second user, a second ordered list of other responses;
• determining, by the processing circuit, whether the first user, the second user, and the other users have reached a consensus;
• in response to determining that the first user, the second user, and the other users have formed a consensus forecast, producing, by the processing circuit, the consensus forecast;
• in response to determining that the first user, the second user, and the other users have not formed a consensus forecast, producing, by the processing circuit, a mediated forecast;
• and
• causing, by the processing circuit, a control system to take an automated action, in response to the consensus forecast or in response to the mediated forecast,
• wherein:
• a second response, of the plurality of other responses, is earlier in the first ordered list than a third response, of the plurality of other responses,
• the second response is, according to a measure of distance, more distant than the third response from the first response,
• the third response is earlier in the second ordered list than the second response, and
• the third response is, according to a measure of distance, more distant than the second response from the fourth response.