On bipolarity in argumentation frameworks

In this chapter, we propose a survey of the use of bipolarity in argumentation frameworks. On the one hand, the notion of bipolarity relies on the presence of two kinds of entities which have a diametrically opposed nature and which represent repellent forces (a positive entity and a negative entity). The notion exists in various domains (for example with the representation of preferences in artificial intelligence, or in cognitive psychology). On the other hand, argumentation process is a promising approach for reasoning, based on the construction and the comparison of arguments. It follows five steps: building the arguments and the interactions between them, valuating the arguments and accounting for their interactions or not, finally determining the acceptability of the arguments and using it in order to draw a conclusion/choose a decision. Using the nomenclature proposed by Dubois and Prade, this paper shows on various applications, and with some formal definitions, that bipolarity appears in argumentation (in some cases if not always) and can be used in each step of this process under different forms.