Background

The conference on Computational Model of Arguments (COMMA) originated from the ASPIC project, and is intended as a regular forum in which research related to computational aspects of argumentation will be presented.

Over the past decade argumentation has become increasingly important in Artificial Intelligence. It has provided a fruitful way of approaching non-monotonic and defeasible reasoning, deliberation about action, and agent communication scenarios such as negotiation. In application domains such as law, medicine and e-democracy it has come to be seen as an essential part of the reasoning. Among the predominant trends are investigations into, e.g.

  • argumentation frameworks
  • argument schemes
  • argument in agent systems
  • argument based negotiation
  • computational properties of argumentation
  • decision making based on argumentation
  • dialogue based on argument
  • e-democracy, legal and medical applications
  • learning through argument
  • reasoning about action with argument
  • tools for argumentation

Successful workshops have been associated with major Artificial Intelligence Conferences, notably the workshop series on Computational Models of Natural Argument held in conjunction with IJCAI and ECAI, and the series of ArgMAS workshops held in conjunction with AAMAS. COMMA is not intended to be a replacement for these established events, but rather as a vehicle with which to consolidate the status of argumentation as a fundamental research field in Artificial Intelligence. intended to function as a conference dedicated to all aspects of computation argument. The success of the inaugaural COMMA hosted by the Department of Computer Science of Liverpool University in September 2006, confirmed that there is significant interest and support for a continuing regular conference series dedicated to this area: it is this function which COMMA aims to fulfil.
This site will maintain not only information relating to COMMA but also links of interest to those with interests in the field of argumentation from a computational perspective.