Argumentation Interchange Formats TFG (AIF)
Argumentation theories provide a powerful framework for interacting agents making a decision, assessing the validity of a fact, or otherwise resolving a difference of opinion. Argumentation, in general, focuses on interactions where parties plead for and against some conclusion [Argmas2005], and is an essential ingredient of inter-agent dialogue, negotiation persuasion and collaborative decision making. The field of argumentation draws on a wide range of areas including philosophy, natural language, rhetoric, and logic, and has recently found in multi-agent systems a natural framework for implementing, studying and testing Argumentation models and scenarios.
As a result of these developments, in recent years two significant workshops have chosen to investigate the area at the intersection of Argumentation and Multi-Agent Systems [Argmas2004, Argmas2005], and a 3 year EU IST project is funding research into the same domain [ASPIC]. Equally relevant, major developments in interoperability technologies such as the Semantic Web [SW] and Web Services [WS] offer for the first time the opportunity to deploy Argumentation Agents in open environments such as the public Internet.
In this context, an Agentlink technical Forum group will meet in the context of the TFG III event be held in Budapest, Hungary from the 15th to the 17th of September (agentlink.org) with the primary objective of:
or "Interchange Format" for argumentation and arguments
which might be used as a convergence point for theoretical
and practical work on argumentation technology.
Results - AIF TFG Activity Completed
The TFG activity has now finished and produced a strawman recommendation as the basis for further work. This can be found on the outputs page along with source files or downloaded directly from here:
Also see inputs received so far and group results on the inputs page. An overview
of the TFG event is provided in the event report.
An Argumentation Interchange Format
Despite the intensive activity aluded to above and growing understanding of the theoretical basis of Argumentation models, there remain major barriers to the development and practical deployment of Argumentation systems. One of them is the lack of a shared, agreed notation or "Interchange Format" for argumentation and arguments. The potential significance of such a format is multiple:
- It would provide a convergence point for discussing the syntax and semantics of argumentation-related agent interaction.
- It would provide a common basis for discussing and comparing Argumentation scenarios.
- It would enable the development of a variety of compatible tools/systems which share the same argumentation input/output formats.
- It would facilitate the development of agents capable of interaction via argumentation using a shared formalism.
In this context, the aim of the AIF TFG is to draw on existing threads of work on Argumentation, Argumentation formats, Agent Communication Languages, Semantic Web formalisms and other relevant areas, and to propose and generate a first version of an Argumentation Interchange Format (AIF) that - if successful - could subsequently be extended and implemented as a possible standard.
Participation and Resources
To paricipate in the activity please see the following:
- The TFG Call for Participation: [Text Format].
- The google groups discussion board and mailing list. To sign up you can click here (note that you need to provide your email adress and a new password to join the Google system).
TFG Overview
The plan for the TFG is structured around the following main outputs:
- A collection of documents detailing requirements, recommendations and potentially full proposals for an Argumentation Interchange Format. These will be generated via a general call for contributions issued before the event.
- A draft AIF document specifying the syntax and semantics of the Argument Interchange Format. The results will take the form of either a single draft framework (if this can be agreed upon) or as a collection of flavors/options where multiple viable candidate solutions exist.
- A mini roadmap defining steps towards the further development of the draft AIF specification - including open issues, possible further contributions, potential future meetings and implementation plans.
These results should enable participants and third parties to identify how they might be able to better work together, which approaches to focus on, and where there are potential gaps in tools and understanding. Furthermore, the outputs of this effort should inform larger projects and initiatives on how they might be able to support the objective of developing an argument interchange standard. Last but not least, the results may also form a useful input for the Agentlink Roadmap.
The TFG activity will be organized as follows:
- Prior to the event [July - September]: Calls for short (1-5 page) requirement descriptions, use-case examples, and outlines for formats which should allow interested parties to put forward their ideas/suggestions/inputs. All relevant contributions will be made available on the TFG web site one or more weeks prior to the TFG event.
- Prior to the event [September]: The TFG chairs with help from the ASPIC project will work to produce a synthesis of the received contributions and proposals, and will develop an integrating proposal for consideration by event participants.
- TFG Event itself [September]: The contributions will be partitioned into topic areas reflecting essential AIF aspects (syntax, semantics, use cases) with a rapporteur being appointed for each area. Event discussions will be structured into 1) short statements by participants on any aspect and/or the integrating proposal, 2) group discussions on contributions within the same topic area (syntax, semantics, use cases) and, 3) an open discussion session to attempt to produce an amended AIF integrating document, as well as a roadmap for further progress.
- Post Event [July-September]: The event outcomes will be used to produce a revised version of the AIF integrating document to be published on the TFG web site. The ASPIC European project will support the continuation of discussions and the exchange of opinions via a dedicated mailing list. Depending on the level of agreement, the TFG members may then consider recommending the adoption of the format informally, and/or under some formal standardization umbrella.
References
- [ArgMAS04] Workshop on Argumentation for Multi-Agent Systems, organised in conjunction with the International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS) July, 2004, New York, USA.
- [ArgMAS05] Workshop on Argumentation for Multi-Agent Systems, organised in conjunction with the International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS) July, 2005, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- [ASPIC] European Commission funded research project "Argumentation Service Platform with Integrated Components". htp://www.argumentation.org
Schedule
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Call for Participation
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Budapest Meeting Details
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TFG Organisers
TFG Supporters
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