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2011 Volume 26
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RESEARCH ARTICLE   Open Access    

Representing and classifying arguments on the Semantic Web

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  • Corresponding authors: Iyad Rahwan ;  Bita Banihashemi ;  Chris Reed ;  Douglas Walton ;  Sherief Abdallah

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RESEARCH ARTICLE   Open Access    

Representing and classifying arguments on the Semantic Web

  • Corresponding authors: Iyad Rahwan ;  Bita Banihashemi ;  Chris Reed ;  Douglas Walton ;  Sherief Abdallah
The Knowledge Engineering Review  26 Article number: 10.1017/S0269888911000191  (2011)  |  Cite this article

Abstract: Abstract: Until recently, little work has been dedicated to the representation and interchange of informal, semi-structured arguments of the type found in natural language prose and dialogue. To redress this, the research community recently initiated work towards an Argument Interchange Format (AIF). The AIF aims to facilitate the exchange of semi-structured arguments among different argument analysis and argumentation-support tools. In this paper, we present a Description Logic ontology for annotating arguments, based on a new reification of the AIF and founded in Walton's theory of argumentation schemes. We demonstrate how this ontology enables a new kind of automated reasoning over argument structures, which complements classical reasoning about argument acceptability. In particular, Web Ontology Language reasoning enables significantly enhanced querying of arguments through automatic scheme classifications, instance classification, inference of indirect support in chained argument structures, and inference of critical questions. We present the implementation of a pilot Web-based system for authoring and querying argument structures using the proposed ontology.

    • http://www.truthmapping.com

    • http://wiki.idebate.org/index.php/

    • This paper is a revised and extended version of a paper that appeared in the proceedings of COMMA 2008 (Rahwan & Banihashemi, 2008).

    • Web 2.0 refers to the second phase of applications on the World Wide Web. Though ill-defined, it is typically taken to focus on user contribution and collaboration by tagging data (e.g. Social bookmarking), editing data (e.g. Wikis), mass publishing (e.g. Weblogs), and Web feeds (e.g. RSS).

    • http://wiki.idebate.org/index.php/

    • http://debategraph.org/

    • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7827112.stm

    • http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Open-Government-Brainstorm-Collaboration-in-Action/

    • http://cohere.open.ac.uk

    • http://www.truthmapping.com

    • http://araucaria.computing.dundee.ac.uk/doku.php

    • http://discoursedb.org/wiki/Main_Page

    • In some literature, asymmetric attacks by a CA-node on an I-node are also referred to as undercuts; for example, as explained by Prakken and Sartor (1997), an argument A undercuts another argument B if A proves(claims) what was assumed unprovable by B.

    • Indeed, there may be other reasons to be in a position to know A. For example, if E is taken to refer to society as a whole, then the argument from position to know becomes ‘argument from popular opinion’.

    • \[--><$>{\cal S}{\cal H}{\cal O}{\cal I}{\cal N}(\cal D) <$$><!--\] allows expression of basic DL, transitive roles, nominals, role hierarchy, inverse roles, and number restrictions.

    • formDescription is an annotation property in OWL-DL. Annotation properties are used to add meta-data about classes.

    • Avicenna was a Persian polymath, physician, and Islamic philosopher (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avicenna). He developed an early theory on hypothetical syllogism, which formed the basis of his early risk factor analysis. In addition to developing an early theory on propositional calculus and an original theory on temporal modal syllogism, he also developed his own system of logic known as ‘Avicennian logic’ as an alternative to Aristotelian logic. Avicenna also contributed inventively to the development of inductive logic, being the first to describe the methods of agreement, difference, and concomitant variation, which are critical to inductive logic and the scientific method.

    • Data mining is ‘the non-trivial process of identifying valid, previously unknown, and potentially useful patterns’ (Fayyad et al., 1996).

    • www.w3.org/2005/rules/

    • Copyright © Cambridge University Press 20112011Cambridge University Press
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    Cite this article
    Iyad Rahwan, Bita Banihashemi, Chris Reed, Douglas Walton, Sherief Abdallah. 2011. Representing and classifying arguments on the Semantic Web. The Knowledge Engineering Review. 26:1 doi: 10.1017/S0269888911000191
    Iyad Rahwan, Bita Banihashemi, Chris Reed, Douglas Walton, Sherief Abdallah. 2011. Representing and classifying arguments on the Semantic Web. The Knowledge Engineering Review. 26:1 doi: 10.1017/S0269888911000191
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