Computational Models of Argument

Research into computational models of argument is a rich interdisciplinary field involving the study of natural, artificial and theoretical argumentation and requiring openness to interactions with a variety of disciplines, ranging from philosophy and cognitive science to formal logic and graph theory. The ultimate aim is to support the development of computer-based systems able to engage in argumentation-related activities, either with human users or among themselves. This book presents the proceedings of the sixth biennial International Conference on Computational Models of Argument (COMMA 2016), held in Potsdam, Germany, on 12- 16 September. The aim of the COMMA conferences is to bring together researchers interested in computational models of argument and the representation of argumentation structures in natural language texts, with special attention to contributions concerning emerging trends and the development of new connections with other areas. The book contains the 25 full papers, 17 short papers and 10 demonstration abstracts presented at the conference, together with 3 invited talks. Subjects covered include abstract, bipolar and structured argumentation, quantitative approaches and their connections with formalisms like Bayesian networks and fuzzy logic, multi-agent scenarios, algorithms and solvers, and mining arguments in text, dialogue, and social media. The book provides an overview of current research and developments in the field of computational models of argument, and will be essential reading for all those with an interest in the field.