News & Announcements

• (8 May 2009) Session chairs added.
• (17 Mar 2009) The programme is now available below.
• (4 Feb 2009) Workshop date has been changed to be May 12.
• (1 Feb 2009) Workshop date has been set to be May 11.
• (29 Dec 2008) Key dates have been slightly updated.

New Book "Argumentation in Artificial Intelligence"  Edited by I. Rahwan and G. R. Simari with a forward by Johan van Benthem You can now pre-order the book from Springer through this link (book due to appear 08/2009).

New Journal "Argument & Computation"  Editors: Chris Reed, Floriana Grasso, Iyad Rahwan and Guillermo R. Simari Published by Taylor & Francis. Submit here.

Overview

Argumentation can be abstractly defined as the interaction of different arguments for and against some conclusion. Over the last few years, argumentation has been gaining increasing importance in multi-agent systems, mainly as a vehicle for facilitating "rational interaction" (i.e., interaction which involves the giving and receiving of reasons). This is because argumentation provides tools for designing, implementing and analysing sophisticated forms of interaction among rational agents. Argumentation has made solid contributions to the practice of multi-agent dialogues. Application domains include: legal disputes, business negotiation, labor disputes, team formation, scientific inquiry, deliberative democracy, ontology reconciliation, risk analysis, scheduling, and logistics. A single agent may also use argumentation techniques to perform its individual reasoning because it needs to make decisions under complex preferences policies, in a highly dynamic environment.

This workshop builds on the following successful workshops:

• ArgMAS 2008 held in conjunction with AAMAS 2008, in Estoril, Portugal, May 12, 2008 (attracted 21 participants)
• ArgMAS 2007 held in conjunction with AAMAS 2007, in Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA (attracted 22 participants)
• ArgMAS 2006 held in conjunction with AAMAS 2006, at Future University, Hakodate, Japan (attracted 21 participants)
• ArgMAS 2005 held in conjunction with AAMAS 2005, at Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands (attracted 31 participants)
• ArgMAS 2004 held in conjunction with AAMAS 2004, at Columbia University, New York, USA (attracted 20 participants)

Post-proceedings of previous editions of the workshop have been published in the following Springer LNCS volumes:

	I. Rahwan and P. Moraitis (Eds.) (2009). Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems: Fifth International Workshop, ArgMAS 2008, Estoril, Portugal, May 2008 Revised Selected and Invited Papers, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Volume 5384, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany..
	I. Rahwan, S. Parsons, and C. Reed (Eds.) (2008). Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems: Forth International Workshop, ArgMAS 2007, Honolulu, HI, USA, May 2007 Revised Selected and Invited Papers, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Volume 4946, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.
	N. Maudet, S. Parsons and I. Rahwan (Eds.) (2007). Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems: Third International Workshop, ArgMAS 2006 Hakodate, Japan, May 8, 2006 Revised Selected and Invited Papers, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Volume 4766, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.
	S. Parsons, N. Maudet, P. Moraitis, and I. Rahwan (Eds.) (2006). Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems Second International Workshop, ArgMAS 2005, Utrecht, Netherlands, July 26, 2005, Revised Selected and Invited Papers. Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Volume 4049, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.
	I. Rahwan, P. Moraitis and C. Reed (Eds.) (2005). Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems: Proceedings of the First International Workshop (ArgMAS'04): Expanded and Invited Contributions. Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Volume 3366, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.

The workshop will be concerned with the use of the concepts, theories, methodologies, and computational models of argumentation in building autonomous agents and multi-agent systems. The workshop will solicit papers looking at both theory and practice. In particular, the workshop aims at bridging the gap between the vast amount of work on argumentation theory and the practical needs of multi-agent systems research.

Topics

We solicit papers dealing with, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Computational models for argumentation
• Argumentation-based decision making
• Argumentation-based joint deliberation
• Argumentation-based persuasion
• Argumentation-based inquiry
• Argumentation-based negotiation and conflict resolution
• Argumentation and risk assessment
• Argumentation for legal reasoning
• Argumentation for electronic democracy
• Argumentation for coordination, cooperation and team formation
• Argumentation and game theory in multi-agent systems
• Human-agent argumentation
• Argumentation and preferences modelling
• Strategic behaviour in argument-based dialogues
• Deception, trust, reputation in argument-based interaction
• Computational complexity of argumentation dialogues
• Properties of argumentation dialogues (termination, success, etc.)
• Hybrid argumentation-based models
• Implemented argumentation-based multi-agent systems
• New application areas

Accepted Papers

Accepted Long Presentations:

• Alexandros Belesiotis, Michael Rovatsos and Iyad Rahwan:  A Generative Dialogue System for Arguing about Plans in Situation Calculus
• Joseph Devereux and Chris Reed:  Strategic Argumentation in Rigorous Persuasion Dialogue
• Paul-Amaury Matt, Francesca Toni and Juan Vaccari:  Dominant decisions by argumentation agents
• Fahd Saud Nawwab, Trevor Bench-Capon and Paul E. Dunne: Emotions in Rational Decision Making
• Toshiko Wakaki, Katsumi Nitta and Hajime Sawamura: Computing Abductive Argumentation in Answer Set Programming
• Maya Wardeh, Trevor Bench-Capon and Frans Coenen: Multi-Party Argument from Experience
• Tom van der Weide, Frank Dignum, John-Jules Meyer, Henry Prakken and Gerard Vreeswijk: Practical Reasoning Using Values

Accepted Short Presentations:

• Stella Heras, Martí Navarro, Vicente Botti and Vicente Julian: Applying Dialogue Games to Manage Recommendation in Social Networks
• Maxime Morge: Assumption-based argumentation for the minimal concession strategy
• Nir Oren and Timothy Norman: Arguing Using Opponent Models
• Matthias Thimm: Realizing Argumentation in Multi Agent Systems using Defeasible Logic Programming
• Cassia Trojahn, Paulo Quaresma, Renata Vieira and Antoine Isaac: Comparing Argumentation Frameworks for Composite Ontology Matching
• Ricardo Santos, Goreti Marreiros, Carlos Ramos, José Neves and José Bulas-Cruz: Argumentation-based Group Decision Making Considering Personality Factors

Accepted Position Statements:

• Yinping Yang, Ya Hui Michelle See and Andrew Ortony. The role of strategic framing in agent-to-human negotiation: A conceptual perspective

Programme

• [09:00] Workshop opens
• [09:00 – 10:30] Session 1: Practical Reasoning & Argument about Action
  (Session Chair: Peter McBurney)
• [09:00 – 09:30]
• Long Presentation: Tom van der Weide, Frank Dignum, John-Jules Meyer, Henry Prakken and Gerard Vreeswijk: Practical Reasoning Using Values
• Respondent:  Katie Atkinson
• [09:30 – 10:00]
• Long Presentation: Alexandros Belesiotis, Michael Rovatsos and Iyad Rahwan:  A Generative Dialogue System for Arguing about Plans in Situation Calculus
• Respondent: Tom van der Weide
• [10:00 – 10:30]
• Long Presentation: Paul-Amaury Matt, Francesca Toni and Juan Vaccari:  Dominant Decisions by Argumentation Agents
• Respondent: Alexandros Belesiotis
• [10:30 – 10:50] Coffee
• [10:50 – 11:50] Session 2: Persuasion and Negotiation
  (Session Chair: Simon Parsons)
• [10:50 – 11:20]
• Long Presentation: Joseph Devereux and Chris Reed:  Strategic Argumentation in Rigorous Persuasion Dialogue
• Respondent: Trevor Bench-Capon
• [11:20 – 11:35]
• Short Presentation: Maxime Morge: Assumption-based Argumentation for the Minimal Concession Strategy
• [11:35 – 11:50]
• Short Presentation: Yinping Yang, Ya Hui Michelle See and Andrew Ortony. The role of Strategic Framing in Agent-to-human Negotiation: A Conceptual Perspective
• [11:50 – 12:50] Invited Talk: 
• Douglas Walton: Burden of Proof in Deliberation Dialogs
• [12:50 – 14:00]  Lunch
• [14:00 – 15:30] Session 3: Argumentation Theory
  (Session Chair: Paul Dunne)
• [14:00 – 14:15]
• Short Presentation: Matthias Thimm: Realizing Argumentation in Multi Agent Systems using Defeasible Logic Programming
• [14:15 – 14:45]
• Long Presentation: Toshiko Wakaki, Katsumi Nitta and Hajime Sawamura: Computing Abductive Argumentation in Answer Set Programming
• Respondent: Matthias Thimm
• [14:45 – 15:15]
• Long Presentation: Maya Wardeh, Trevor Bench-Capon and Frans Coenen: Multi-Party Argument from Experience
• Respondent: Douglas Walton
• [15:15 – 15:30]
• Short Presentation: Nir Oren and Timothy Norman: Arguing Using Opponent Models
• [15:30 – 15:45] Coffee
• [15:45 – 17:00] Session 4: Applications and Emotions
  (Session Chair: Nir Oren)
• [15:45 – 16:00]
• Short Presentation: Stella Heras, Martí Navarro, Vicente Botti and Vicente Julian: Applying Dialogue Games to Manage Recommendation in Social Networks
• [16:00 – 16:15]
• Short Presentation: Cassia Trojahn, Paulo Quaresma, Renata Vieira and Antoine Isaac: Comparing Argumentation Frameworks for Composite Ontology Matching
• [16:15 – 16:45]
• Long Presentation: Fahd Saud Nawwab, Trevor Bench-Capon and Paul E. Dunne: Emotions in Rational Decision Making
• Respondent: Iyad Rahwan
  
• [16:45 – 17:00]
• Short Presentation: Ricardo Santos, Goreti Marreiros, Carlos Ramos, José Neves and José Bulas-Cruz: Argumentation-based Group Decision Making Considering Personality Factors
  
• [17:00]  Workshop closes
  

Important Dates

Tentative Dates (subject to confirmation):

Submission Deadline:	Friday 30 January 2009
Notification of Acceptance/Rejection:	Friday 27 February 2009
Camera Ready Due:	Wednesday 11 March 2009
Workshop:	12 May 2009

Publication

The proceedings of ArgMAS will be printed and distributed at the workshop.

As done with previous ArgMAS workshops, it is planned to publish revised versions of the accepted full papers in an edited book as part of the Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence (LNAI) series. This publication would have an ISBN number, and would be available both in printed form, as well as electronically on the SpringerLink online library.

Submission Procedure

Contributors may submit either full papers (no longer than 18 pages) or a two page position statement that outlines their interests, background, and discussion of an aspect of the workshop theme.

Authors are encouraged to submit their papers in the Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) style, since this will be the format required for the planned post-proceedings book. Formatting instructions, as well as the style and sample files, can be found here: http://www.springer.de/comp/lncs/authors.html

Papers must be submitted through a dedicated EasyChair site, which can be found at: http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=argmas2009

At least one author of each accepted papers must register for the workshop.

Organising Committee

Co-Chairs:

• Peter McBurney (Corresponding Organiser)
  Department of Computer Science
  Ashton Building, University of Liverpool
  Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
  mcburney [at] liverpool.ac.uk
• Simon Parsons
  Department of Computer and Information Science
  Brooklyn College
  City University of New York
  2900 Bedford Avenue
  Brooklyn, 11210 NY
• Iyad Rahwan
  

  Faculty of Informatics British University in Dubai P.O.Box 502216, Dubai United Arab Emirates

  (Fellow) School of Informatics University of Edinburgh Edinburgh, EH8 9LE UK

• Nicolas Maudet
  LAMSADE
  Universite Paris 9 Dauphine
  75775 Paris Cedex 16
  France

ArgMAS Steering Committee

• Antonis Kakas (University of Cyprus, Cyprus)
• Nicolas Maudet (Universite Paris Dauphine, France)
• Peter McBurney (University of Liverpool, UK)
• Pavlos Moraitis (Paris Descartes University, France)
• Simon Parsons (City University of New York, USA)
• Iyad Rahwan (British University in Dubai, UAE, and University of Edinburgh, UK)
• Chris Reed (University of Dundee, UK)

Program Committee

• Leila Amgoud, IRIT, Toulouse, France
• Katie Atkinson, University of Liverpool, UK
• Trevor Bench-Capon, University of Liverpool, UK
• Jamal Bentahar, Concordia University, Canada
• Guido Boella, Università di Torino, Italy
• Carlos Chesnevar, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina
• Frank Dignum, Utrecht University, Netherlands
• Yannis Dimopoulos, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
• Sylvie Doutre, University of Toulouse 1, France
• Paul E Dunne, University of Liverpool, UK
• Rogier van Eijk, Utrecht University, Netherlands
• Anthony Hunter, University College, London, UK
• Antonis Kakas, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
• Nikos Karacapilidis, University of Patras, Greece
• Nishan Karunatillake, University of Southampton, UK
• Nicolas Maudet, Universite Paris Dauphine, France
• Peter McBurney, University of Liverpool, UK
• Jarred McGinnis, London, UK
• Sanjay Modgil, King's College, London, UK
• Pavlos Moraitis, Paris Descartes University, France
• Tim Norman, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
• Nir Oren, King's College, London, UK
• Fabio Paglieri, ISTC-CNR, Roma IT
• Simon Parsons, City University of New York, USA
• Philippe Pasquier, Simon Fraser University, Canada
• Enric Plaza, Spanish Scientific Research Council, Spain
• Henri Prade, IRIT, Toulouse, France
• Henry Prakken, Utrecht University, & University of Groningen, The Netherlands
• Alun Preece, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
• Iyad Rahwan, British University in Dubai, UAE, & University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
• Sarvapali Ramchurn, University of Southampton, UK
• Chris Reed, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
• Michael Rovatson, University of Edinburgh, UK
• Hajime Sawamura, Niigata University, Japan
• Guillermo Simari, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina
• Elizabeth Sklar, City University of New York, USA
• Katia Sycara, Carnegie Mellon University, USA
• Francesca Toni, Imperial College, London, UK
• Leon van der Torre, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
• Paolo Torroni, Università di Bologna, Italy
• Bart Verheij, University of Groningen, Netherlands
• Gerard Vreeswijk, Utrecht University, Netherlands
• Douglas Walton, University of Winnipeg, Canada
• Simon Wells, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
• Michael Wooldridge, University of Liverpool, UK