The science of argumentation to be explored as arguments rage

Published On Mon 8 Sep 2014 by Grant Hill

Yes Scotland v Better Together. Salmond v Darling. Cybernats v Nobots. We are living through a time of unprecedented political discussion in Scotland, and artificial intelligence technologies for understanding human reasoning, debate and argument will be examined when the Universities of Dundee and Aberdeen host an international computing conference tomorrow.

The 5th International Conference on Computational Models of Argument will be held at Atholl Palace in Pitlochry and will bring together more than 70 scientists from the UK, Europe, North America and Asia to discuss the latest developments in the field.

The conference includes cutting-edge techniques involving the latest debates, financial reports and mathematical reasoning. The four-day programme has been preceded by a week-long advanced graduate school at the University of Dundee designed to bring PhD students from around the world up to date with the very latest techniques and theories in argumentation from philosophical, linguistic and computational perspectives.

The event is being organised by Chris Reed, Professor of Computer Science of Philosophy at Dundee, and Dr Nir Oren, Senior Lecturer in Computing Science at the University of Aberdeen.

Professor Reed, who heads the Centre for Argument Technology at Dundee’s School of Computing, has been working with theories of argumentation for over 20 years and has been responsible for developing software used in schools and universities in more than 70 countries.

He said, “Arguments are raging everywhere as the people of Scotland prepare to cast their vote in the most important plebiscite for many, many years. This is relevant to our work as we are looking at artificial intelligence technologies for understanding, supporting and processing human reasoning, debate and argument.

“Argumentation is an important and exciting research topic in artificial intelligence, with a broad spectrum of research activities ranging from theory to applications. As our understanding grows then computer-supported and even computer-authored arguments will become will become an integral part of future campaigns.”

The International Conference on Computational Models of Argument (COMMA) is a biennial forum for presentation and exchange of the latest research results related to computational aspects of argumentation.

The Centre for Argument Technology at the University of Dundee is a world-leading group of researchers working on both philosophical and linguistic theories and also apps and resources online that put those theories into practice. It is one of the driving forces behind the emerging 'Argument Web', an online network of interconnected, reusable, reviewable and arguments and debates for critique.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277