Because is built on mapjs. It provides a free and open-source platform for building and analyzing arguments. Teachers are experimenting with it in high schools and universities all over the world, and thousands of individuals who find this software online have used it to analyze and construct better arguments.
Always start off at the address https://app.philmaps.com.
Because is easy to learn. This site's Basics page explains the core ideas of argument visualization and also reviews how to use this software. The video below provides an even quicker introduction to using the core features.
Enter :: add reason under selected claim
Tab :: add co-premise to selected claim
Alt + o :: add objection to selected claim
Alt + t :: toggle between reason/objection and between implicit/explicit claim
Arrows :: navigate through tree
z :: zoom in
Shift+z :: zoom out
d :: detach selected claim
Command+d :: insert detached claim
n :: add note to the selected claim/reason (will appear in side panel)
Alt+N :: add a sticky note to the selection claim/reason (will appear in tree)
If you’d like to see what arguments look like in Because, check out the arguments on the Basics page.
Thanks to the original developers of MindMup, and especially to Gojko Adzi, Because is based on the MIT-licensed MindMup core, so it will always be free.