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Dialogue Games, Argumentation and Meaning: Computational modelling of Brandom's inferentialism

Topic Description

In a number of books (e.g. Brandom, 1994; Brandom, 2000), the philosopher Robert Brandom has uncovered deep connections between dialogue games and argumentation on the one hand, and meaning on the other. Some progress has been made on making these ideas computational (see e.g. Piwek, 2014). The aim of this project is to further develop and implement these computational interpretations of Brandom's work. This may include the use of visualisations in order to get a better understanding of the models. It could also lead to development of applications (e.g., in argumentation education).

Skills Required:

A degree in Computing (or equivalent), with experience in logical semantics (ideally, also proof-theoretic/inferentialist approaches) and/or dialogue modelling.

Background Reading:

Brandom, R. (2000). Articulating Reasons: An Introduction to Inferentialism. Cambridge, USA: Harvard University Press. http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674006928

Brandom, R. (1994). Making It Explicit: Reasoning, Representing, and Discursive Commitment. Cambridge, USA: Harvard University Press. http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674543300

Piwek, P. (2014). Towards a Computational Account of Inferentialist Meaning. Proceedings of the AISB50 Convention, Goldsmith's College London, April 3, 2014.  https://oro.open.ac.uk/39904/

Piwek, Paul (2013). Supporting computing and technology distance learning students with developing argumentation skills. In: IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON 2013), 12-15 March 2013, Berlin. https://oro.open.ac.uk/36817/

Piwek, P. (2011). Dialogue Structure and Logical Expressivism. Synthese 183: 33-58. http://mcs.open.ac.uk/pp2464/inpress/Piwek-KRA-Synthese-Final-Draft.pdf 

See http://mcs.open.ac.uk/pp2464/Proof_Theoretic_Semantics/ for further references relating to this topic.

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