Goal-based Reasoning for Argumentation

This book provides an argumentation model for means end-reasoning, a distinctive type of reasoning used for problem-solving and decision-making. Means end-reasoning is modelled as goal-directed argumentation from an agent's goals and known circumstances, and from an action selected as a means, to a decision to carry out the action. Goal-based Reasoning for Argumentation provides an argumentation model of this kind of reasoning showing how it is employed in settings of intelligent deliberation where agents try to collectively arrive at a conclusion on what they should do to move forward in a set of circumstances. The book explains how this argumentation model can help build more realistic computational systems of deliberation and decision-making, and shows how such systems can be applied to solve problems posed by goal-based reasoning in numerous fields, from social psychology and sociology, to law, political science, anthropology, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, multi-agent systems, and robotics.

• Presents an argumentation-based point model of practical goal-based reasoning showing how it is applied in settings of persuasion and rational multi-agent deliberation, problem-solving and decision-making
• Because of its extensive use of examples to illustrate practical reasoning, this book can be used as a textbook or reading in upper level courses
• Uses argument visualisation tools to display the structure of arguments and explanations in examples in a way that is easy for readers to understand
• Shows how abductive reasoning (inference to the best explanation) can be used to derive a hypothesis about an agent's intention from evidence of the agent's actions and commitments