Abstract
This paper describes an approach to legal logic based on the formal analysis of argumentation schemes. Argumentation schemes a notion borrowed from the .eld of argumentation theory - are a kind of generalized rules of inference, in the sense that they express that given certain premises a particular conclusion can be drawn. However, argumentation schemes need not concern strict, abstract, necessarily valid patterns of reasoning, but can be defeasible, concrete and contingently valid, i.e., valid in certain contexts or under certain circumstances. A method is presented to analyze argumentation schemes and it is shown how argumentation schemes can be embedded in a formal model of dialectical argumentation.
References
Bench-Capon, T. J. M. and Sartor, G. (2003). A Model of Legal Reasoning with Cases Incorporating Theories and Values. Artificial Intelligence 150 (1-2): 97–143.
Copi, I. M. (1982). Introduction to Logic, 6th Ed. Macmillan: New York.
Gamut, L. T. F. (1991). Logic, Language, and Meaning. Introduction to Logic. Vol. I. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago (Illinois).
Girle, R., Hitchcock, D. L., McBurney, P., and Verheij, B. (2003). Decision Support for Practical Reasoning: A Theoretical and Computational Perspective. Reed, C. and Norman, T. J. (eds.) Argumentation Machines. New Frontiers in Argument and Computation, 55–84. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.
Hage, J. C. (1993). Monological Reason Based Logic. A Low Level Integration of Rule-based Reasoning and Case-based Reasoning. In Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law, 30–39. ACM: New York.
Hage, J. C. (1997). Reasoning with Rules. An Essay on Legal Reasoning and Its Underlying Logic. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.
Hage, J. C. (2001). Legal Logic. Its Existence, Nature and Use. Soeteman A. (ed.) Pluralism and Law, 347–373. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.
Hastings, A. (1963). A Reformulation of the Modes of Reasoning in Argumentation. Doctoral dissertation. Northwestern University.
Kienpointner, M. (1992). Alltagslogik: Struktur und Funktion von Argumentationsmustern. Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt: Frommannn-Holzboog.
McBurney, P. and Parsons, S. (2000). Tenacious Tortoises: A Formalism for Argument over Rules of Inference. Computational Dialectics (ECAI 2000 Workshop), Berlin, Germany.
Perelman, C. and Olbrechts-Tyteca, L. (1971/1958). The New Rhetoric: A Treatise on Argumentation. University of Notre Dame Press: Notre Dame/London, French original first published in 1958.
Pollock, J. L. (1987). Defeasible reasoning. Cognitive Science 11: 481–518.
Pollock, J. L. (1995). Cognitive Carpentry: A Blueprint for How to Build a Person. The MIT Press: Cambridge, MA.
Prakken, H. (1997). Logical Tools for Modelling Legal Argument. A Study of Defeasible Reasoning in Law. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.
Prakken, H. and Sartor, G. (1996). A Dialectical Model of Assessing Conflicting Arguments in Legal Reasoning. Artificial Intelligence and Law 4: 331–368.
Prakken, H. and Sartor, G. (1998). Modelling Reasoning with Precedents in a Formal Dialogue Game. Artificial Intelligence and Law 6: 231–287.
Prakken, H., Reed, C. and Walton, D. N. (2003). Argumentation Schemes and Generalisations in Reasoning about Evidence. In proceedings of The Ninth International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law 32–41. ACM: New York.
Reed, C. and Walton, D. N. (2001). Applications of Argumentation Schemes. Argumentation and its Applications. In Hansen, H. V., Tindale, C. W., Blair, J. A. and Johnson, R. H. (eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth Biennial Conference of the Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation (OSSA 2001)
Reiter, R. (1980). A Logic for Default Reasoning. Artificial Intelligence 13: 81–132.
Roth, A. C. (2003). Case-based Reasoning in the Law. A Formal Theory of Reasoning by Case Comparison. Dissertation. Universiteit Maastricht.
Soeteman, A. (1989). Logic in Law. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.
Toulmin, S. E. (1958). The Uses of Argument. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
van Eemeren, F. H., Grootendorst, R., and Snoeck Henkemans, F. (1996). Fundamentals of Argumentation Theory. A Handbook of Historical Backgrounds and Contemporary Developments. Lawrence Erlbaum: Hillsdale, NJ.
Verheij, B. (1996). Rules, Reasons, Arguments. Formal studies of argumentation and defeat. Dissertation Universiteit Maastricht.
Verheij, B. (1999a). Automated Argument Assistance for Lawyers. In Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law, 43–52. ACM: New York.
Verheij, B. (1999b). Logic, Context and Valid Inference. Or: Can there be a Logic of Law? van den Herik, H. J., Moens, M.-F., Bing, J., van Buggenhout, B., Zeleznikow, J. and Grütters, C. A. F. M. (eds.), Legal Knowledge Based Systems. JURIX 1999: The 12th Conference 109–121. Gerard Noodt Instituut: Nijmegen.
Verheij, B. (2000). Book Review: Formalism and Interpretation in the Logic of Law. (review of H. Prakken's 'Logical Tools for Modelling Legal Argument '). Artificial Intelligence and Law 8: 35–65.
Verheij, B. (2001a). Legal Decision Making as Dialectical Theory Construction with Argumentation Schemes. In proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law, 225–226. ACM: New York.
Verheij, B. (2001b). Book Review of D. Walton's 'The New Dialectic', 'Ad Hominem Arguments' and 'One-Sided Arguments'. Artificial Intelligence and Law 9: 305–313.
Verheij, B. (2003a). DefLog: On the Logical Interpretation of Prima Facie Justified Assumptions. Journal of Logic and Computation 13 (3): 319–346.
Verheij, B. (2003b). Artificial Argument Assistants for Defeasible Argumentation. Artificial Intelligence 150 (1-2): 291–324.
Verheij, B. (2003c). Dialectical Argumentation with Argumentation Schemes: Towards a Methodology for the Investigation of Argumentation Schemes. In van Eemeren, F. H., Blair, J. A., Willard, C. A. and Snoeck Henkemans, F. Proceedings of the Fifth Conference of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation (ISSA 2002) 1033–1037. Sic Sat, Amsterdam.
Walton, D. N. (1996). Argument Schemes for Presumptive Reasoning. Lawrence Erlbaum: Hillsdale, NJ.
Walton, D. N. (1998). Ad Hominem Arguments. The University of Alabama Press: Tuscaloosa.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Verheij, B. Dialectical Argumentation with Argumentation Schemes: An Approach to Legal Logic. Artificial Intelligence and Law 11, 167–195 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ARTI.0000046008.49443.36
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ARTI.0000046008.49443.36