Introduction

ArborVote is a module for rational decision-making based on arguments that can be used in DApps and DAOs.

Decision-making based on arguments is unpopular because of the bureaucratic overhead connected to it. The centralized online platform kialo.com overcame this issue and keeps debates rational, presents them in a structured and transparent way, and, thus, allows for fast on-boarding of participants. Participants create a tree of pro and con arguments and can express preference by rating their impact. However, the platform cannot be used as a governance tool because it lacks resilience against manipulation and Sybil attacks. This gap can be filled with blockchain technology by

• providing a tamper-proof voting infrastructure,
• using decentralized digital identities, and
• creating economic incentives for participation.

Here, we present a voting module for deliberative decision-making using argument trees that can be integrated into existing DApps and DAOs.