Reaching agreements through argumentation: a logical model

In a multi-agent environment, where self-motivated (selfish) agents try to pursue their own goals, cooperation can not be taken for granted. Cooperation must be planned for and achieved through communication and negotia-tion. We look at argumentation as a mecha-nism for achieving cooperation and agreement. Using categories identified from human multi-agent negotiation, we present a basis for an axiomatization for argument formulation and evaluation. We offer a logical model of the men-tal states of the agents based on a represen-tation of their beliefs, desires, intentions and goals. We present argumentation as an iter-ative process emerging from exchanges among agents to persuade each other and bring about a change in intentions