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Araucaria (software)

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Araucaria
Stable release
3.1 / June 27, 2006
Operating systemWindows
Mac OS X
Unix
Linux
Solaris
TypeArgument mapping software
LicenseGNU General Public License
Websitehttp://araucaria.computing.dundee.ac.uk/doku.php


Araucaria is an Argument mapping software tool developed in 2001 by Chris Reed and Glenn Rowe, in the Argumentation Research Group at the School of Computing in the University of Dundee (Scotland). It is designed to visually represent arguments through diagrams that can be used for analysis and stored in Argument Markup Language (AML), based on XML. As a free software, it is available under the GNU General Public License and may be dowloaded for free on the internet.[1]


How it works

The user interface is composed of a main window (diagramming), a schemes editor and the AraucariaDB online interface.

When a text file is loaded into the program, the text is displayed in the left-hand panel of the main window. Highlighting portions of text before clicking on the right (larger) panel creates corresponding nodes at the bottom of that panel. Nodes can then be paired together by dragging one (which will be the premise) to the other (the conclusion). To each node may be attached a value such as the ownership of the proposition, or an evaluation specifying the degree of confidence placed in premise). Similarly, symbols can be added to the arrows to state the strength of the inference. In addition, the user may link arguments, supply missing premises (argument reconstruction) and use refutations. The diagram will always take the form of a tree structure in Araucaria. The user has the choice of translating the argument into standard diagram, Toulmin diagram or Wigmore diagram, Araucadia 3.1 being the first software to integrate the latter ontology and to adress the translation issues between the different diagrams[2].

While Araucaria helps identify the structure of an argument, it provides freedom of analysis resources. The scheme editor allows the user to create argumentation schemes, group them together and save them into a schemeset file. A schemeset is then applied to the diagram, entirely or in part. As an illustration, an argument scheme relying on symptoms could be applied to the following assertion: The light has gone off. Therefore, the bulb must be broken, with critical questions intended to determine if the result could stem from another reason (such as have all the light in the flat gone off?.

The AraucariaDB Online Repository can be browsed to retrieve specific arguments to fit a diagram. Alternatively, an argument diagram, along with annotations, can be saved into the database.


Technical details

Araucaria was developed in Java in order to be supported on most platforms[3]. It is licensed under the GNU General Public License and complies with the Free software standards. The Argument Markup Language (AML) was created to maintain the evolving relationship between text and diagram. To this end, tags are added to the text and specify the connection between each component. AML is designed to be an application of the Argument theory in Artificial intelligence.[4]

Because it is based on XML, a standard widely used by developers, AML content can be accessed online after using stylesheets to create html web pages. In addition, AML data is easily available through other softwares that support XML, where the full diagram can be visualized and saved as an image.

Araucaria itself is is conceived to be compatible with other tools. An example of integration is the argumentation software library Argkit.[5] The online corpus provision[6] is an extension of the Araucaria project. and other applications under development .[7]


Applications

The software is aimed at providing both a pedagogical tool (enhancing the teaching of critical thinking skills thanks to diagramming) and a support for research within the fields of argument theory and informal logic. In addition, it fits professional purposes[8], as it reduces the time needed to process data.

Among the choices of diagram available to the user, Wigmore charts were intented to be used for Law cases analysis. The considerable amount of arguments that require to be processed suggests that argument mapping tools are particularly suited to professionals and scholars in the legal field. Araucaria has been used by magistrates in Ontario Courts to help with a large volume of relatively simple cases.[9]

The advantages of using Araucaria in both learning and teaching philosophy was considered by the authors, along with other scholars, in a paper published in 2006[10]. It is emphasized how easier explaining and summarizing the philosophers' theories is when arguments are visualized in a diagram. Furthermore, a qualitative survey was carried out among students revealing positive results[11].

Araucaria is similar to other pre-existing softwares in some of its applications. However, the authors' intention was to fill a gap in providing a tool able to support both teaching and research in argumentation theory[12].

As of mid-2009, Araucaria is deemed to have approximately 10.000 users[13], even though that is hard to assess with precision when it comes to softwares available for free on the internet. IP logs shows that the user base is very wide both on a geographical level (more than 40 countries) and on a sectoral level (range of domains including doctors, statisticians, lawyers and engineers)[14]


Future developments

While Araucaria is arguably one the most sophisticated diagramming and enjoys an important user base, its interface and features may be viewed as outdated. According to Chris Reed, "a large-scale rewrite is underway, which provides AIF support."[15] It is unknown if this rewrite will be the occasion to turn Araucadia into an online and/or collaborative program. An online tool supporting AIF, albeit with less comprehensive features, was recently developped by Reed's research group (ARG:dundee).[16] An alpha version of this Online Visualisation of Argument (OVA) is available.[17]

In addition, one of Reed's long-time project had been to tackle the limitations of computer diagramming induced by natural language interpretation, and to add an dialogic argumentation structure to the software. Since 1st of October, 2009, a new research, "Dialectical Argumentation Machines"[18], is carried out and might be the first step towards this objective.



See also


Notes

  1. ^ http://araucaria.computing.dundee.ac.uk/doku.php?id=version_3.1
  2. ^ Besnard, 2008, p357
  3. ^ "As part of the commitment to supporting diversity", Reed, 2004, p5
  4. ^ Reed 2004, p10
  5. ^ http://www.argkit.org/araucaria/description and Besnard 2008, p366
  6. ^ http://www.arg.dundee.ac.uk/projects/araucariadb/search.php
  7. ^ Reed, 2004, p1
  8. ^ Reed, 2007, p36
  9. ^ Reed, 2007, p37 and Prakken, 2008, p453
  10. ^ Rowe, Macagno, Reed, Walton, 2006
  11. ^ Rowe, Macagno, Reed, Walton, 2006, p122
  12. ^ Reed, 2001, p4
  13. ^ Rahwan, 2009, p398
  14. ^ Okada, 2008, p177
  15. ^ Rahwan 2009, p398
  16. ^ http://www.arg.dundee.ac.uk/?page_id=143
  17. ^ http://ova.computing.dundee.ac.uk/
  18. ^ http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/ViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/G060347/1


References


Further reading

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