RAIL

CALL FOR PAPERS:

Seventh International Workshop on

ARGUMENTATION IN MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (ArgMAS 2010)

http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/irahwan/argmas/argmas10/

Toronto, Canada

10 or 11 May 2010

International Workshop to be held in conjunction with AAMAS 2010

http://www.cse.yorku.ca/AAMAS2010/

The ArgMAS Workshop series web site:

http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/irahwan/argmas/

Overview

This workshop will focus on the concepts, theories, methodologies, and applications of computational models of argumentation in building autonomous agents and multi-agent systems. Argumentation can be abstractly defined as the formal interaction of different arguments for and against some conclusion (eg, a proposition, an action intention, a preference, etc.). An agent may use argumentation techniques to perform individual reasoning, in order to resolve conflicting evidence or to decide between conflicting goals.   Multiple agents may also use dialectical argumentation in order to identify and reconcile differences between themselves, through interactions such as negotiation, persuasion, and joint deliberation.

The main goal of ArgMAS 2010 will be to bring together the community of researchers working on argumentation in multi-agent systems. The workshop has the following technical goals:

– To explore the use of argumentation in practical reasoning.

– To investigate how argumentation can be used to enable rational interaction between autonomous agents.

– To explore the applicability of argumentation for solving a variety of problems in multi-agent systems, such as information exchange, negotiation, team formation, deliberation, etc.

– To explore strategic reasoning and behavior in argumentation-based interaction.

– To understand how argumentation relates to other areas of multiagent research, such as game theory, agent communications, and planning.

– To present and encourage implemented systems which demonstrate the use of argumentation in 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.

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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 modeling

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

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Important Dates (Strict):

Submission Deadline: 2 February 2010

Notification of Acceptance/Rejection: 2 March 2010

Camera Ready Copy Due: 7 March 2009

Workshop: 10 or 11 May 2009 (TBA)

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Publication

The proceedings of ArgMAS will be distributed at the workshop.

As 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.

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Submission Procedures

As with previous workshops, each ArgMAS submission will be reviewed anonymously by two members of the expert program committee.

Contributors may submit either full papers (no longer than 18 pages) or a 2-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 the dedicated EasyChair site, which can be found via:

http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=argmas2010

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

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Organising Committee:

Co-Chairs:

Peter McBurney (Corresponding Organizer)

Department of Computer Science, University of Liverpool, UK

Email:   mcburney [at] liverpool.c.uk

Simon Parsons

Department of Computer and Information Science, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY USA

Iyad Rahwan

Faculty of Informatics, British University in Dubai, UAE

and

School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, UK.