Analysis of Dialogical Argumentation via Finite State Machines
This provides a practical tool for researchers in AI and argumentation theory to implement and analyze formal dialogical systems, though it is incremental as it builds on existing logic-based approaches.
The paper tackles the lack of frameworks for implementing and evaluating dialogical argumentation systems by proposing an algorithm that generates finite state machines from propositional executable logic specifications, and demonstrates analysis using minimax strategies.
Dialogical argumentation is an important cognitive activity by which agents exchange arguments and counterarguments as part of some process such as discussion, debate, persuasion and negotiation. Whilst numerous formal systems have been proposed, there is a lack of frameworks for implementing and evaluating these proposals. First-order executable logic has been proposed as a general framework for specifying and analysing dialogical argumentation. In this paper, we investigate how we can implement systems for dialogical argumentation using propositional executable logic. Our approach is to present and evaluate an algorithm that generates a finite state machine that reflects a propositional executable logic specification for a dialogical argumentation together with an initial state. We also consider how the finite state machines can be analysed, with the minimax strategy being used as an illustration of the kinds of empirical analysis that can be undertaken.