The Knowledge Engineering Review

Table of Contents - 2006 - Volume 21, Issue 04  


Review

Towards an argument interchange format

CARLOS  CHESÑEVAR a1a6 , JARRED MCGINNIS a2 , SANJAY  MODGIL a3 , IYAD  RAHWAN a2a4 , CHRIS  REED a5 , GUILLERMO  SIMARI a6 , MATTHEW  SOUTH a3 , GERARD  VREESWIJK a7 and STEVEN  WILLMOTT a8
a1 Universitat de Lleida, Catalunya, Spain; e-mail: cic@eps.udl.es
a2 University of Edinburgh, UK
a3 Cancer Research UK, UK
a4 British University in Dubai, UAE
a5 University of Dundee, UK
a6 Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina
a7 Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
a8 Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Catalunya, Spain

Article author query
chesnevar c   [Google Scholar] 
mcginnis    [Google Scholar] 
modgil s   [Google Scholar] 
rahwan i   [Google Scholar] 
reed c   [Google Scholar] 
simari g   [Google Scholar] 
south m   [Google Scholar] 
vreeswijk g   [Google Scholar] 
willmott s   [Google Scholar] 
 

Abstract

The theory of argumentation is a rich, interdisciplinary area of research straddling the fields of artificial intelligence, philosophy, communication studies, linguistics and psychology. In the last few years, significant progress has been made in understanding the theoretical properties of different argumentation logics. However, one major barrier to the development and practical deployment of argumentation systems is the lack of a shared, agreed notation or ‘interchange format’ for argumentation and arguments. In this paper, we describe a draft specification for an argument interchange format (AIF) intended for representation and exchange of data between various argumentation tools and agent-based applications. It represents a consensus ‘abstract model’ established by researchers across fields of argumentation, artificial intelligence and multi-agent systems. In its current form, this specification is intended as a starting point for further discussion and elaboration by the community, rather than an attempt at a definitive, all-encompassing model. However, to demonstrate proof of concept, a use case scenario is briefly described. Moreover, three concrete realizations or ‘reifications’ of the abstract model are illustrated.

(Published Online December 4 2006)


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