Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watmath.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!mwang From: mwang@watmath.UUCP (mwang) Newsgroups: ont.events Subject: UW Recr. Semi., Dr. Cohen will speak on "A Computational Model for the Analysis of Arguments". Message-ID: <7215@watmath.UUCP> Date: Mon, 12-Mar-84 13:32:17 EST Article-I.D.: watmath.7215 Posted: Mon Mar 12 13:32:17 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Mar-84 01:07:45 EST Expires: Fri, 16-Mar-84 00:00:00 EST Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 39 _D_E_P_A_R_T_M_E_N_T _O_F _C_O_M_P_U_T_E_R _S_C_I_E_N_C_E _U_N_I_V_E_R_S_I_T_Y _O_F _W_A_T_E_R_L_O_O _S_E_M_I_N_A_R _A_C_T_I_V_I_T_I_E_S _R_E_C_R_U_I_T_I_N_G _S_E_M_I_N_A_R - Thursday, March 15, 1984. Dr. Robin Cohen of the University of Toronto will speak on ``A Computational Model for the Analysis of Argu- ments''. TIME: 3:30 PM ROOM: MC 5158 ABSTRACT This research proposes a model for an argument under- standing system - a natural language understanding sys- tem which processes arguments. The form of input con- sidered in one-way communication in a conversational setting, where the speaker tries to convince the hearer of a particular point of view. The main contributions are: (i) a theory of expected coherent structure which limits analysis to the reconstruction of particu- lar transmission forms (ii) a theory of linguistic clues which assigns a functional interpretation to spe- cial words and phrases used by the speaker to indicate structure (iii) a theory of evidence relationships which includes the demand for pragmatic analysis to ac- comodate beliefs not currently held. A system designed to incorporate these theories could be used to analyze the structure of arguments - the necessary first step for a hearer, before judging credibility and respond- ing. March 12, 1984