Computational Dialectics for Arguing Agents

In this paper, we extract its computational content from Hegelian Marxist dialectics and consider the utilization in agents’ world. This is a novel approach to conflict resolution, cooperation, reconciliation, negotiation and so on that are main concerns in agent-oriented computing. We first examine two approaches to static dialectical logics: the dialectical logics DL and DM by Routley and Meyer, and the paraconsistent dialectical logic by da Costa. Then, we consider how to render those dialectical logics dynamic, introducing some dialectical inference rules on top of DL and DM and the definitions of Aufheben. We also discuss the meaning and utilization of the law of the negation of the negation in agents’ world as well. In order to realize those aspects of dialectics computationally, we built the argument-based agent systems in which dialectics plays an important role in decision-making, attaining agreements and reaching an understanding among agents. We illustrate two applications of those systems.