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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