The theory in the book is based on the latest research in argumentation theory, and especially on new applications of artificial intelligence (AI) to legal argumentation. The methodology of the book derives from recent work in argumentation theory and AI in which forms of reasoning other than deductive and inductive have been the focus of much investigation. The aim is not just to show how character judgments are made, but to show how they should properly be made based on sound reasoning, in order to avoid certain fallacies, errors and superficial judgments of a kind that are common. The book is about character judgments, but centrally about the kind of logical reasoning and evidence that should properly be used to support or question such judgments. According to the new theory put forward in this book, such evidence is based on a kind of multi-agent simulative reasoning in which one agent is able to explain the actions of another by understanding the situation confronted by the other,and recreating the plan adopted by the other. According to the theory, one agent can reach reasoned conclusions about the presumed character properties of another, using plan recognition and ar- mentation schemes representing stereotypical forms of reasoning. We use character evidence every day in reasoning, as in the inference, He has a certain character trait, so that is evidence he is the one who carried out this particular action.

Brings state of the art tools of argumentation and AI to bear on a fundamental problem that has been highly controversial Anglo-American law. An interdisciplinary approach that applies to many humanities fields, like history, where character judgments are central, providing a new kind of objective basis for evaluating these judgments Provides a fresh new approach to the older positivistic viewpoint that tended to dismiss character judgments as purely subjective and even prejudicial Expands the important notion of abductive reasoning yielding important new way of modeling evidence that has been regarded as highly problematic in the past The author is well known as a leading interdisciplinary researcher whose work has spanned the fields of argumentation, informal logic, law and artificial intelligence

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Klappentext

This book is on evidence for character judgments, answering questions about how such judgments are and should be supported or refuted by verifiable evidence. For example, if I claim that some particular person has integrity, or does not, what kind of justification should properly be used to support or refute the claim? This book answers the question using a model of abductive reasoning, commonly called inference to the best explanation. The methodology of the book derives from recent work on models of reasoning in argumentation theory and artificial intelligence. The aim is not just to show how character judgments are made, but to show how they should be properly be made based on sound reasoning, in order to avoid errors and superficial judgments of a kind that are common. Character evidence in law is on a razor's edge. It is generally inadmissible, for it might tend to prejudice a jury, but it is a kind of evidence often needed in trials, for example, to cross-examine a witness. This book shows that we are not as good at judging character as we think, and often make serious mistakes. But it is shown how character judgments can, in some instances, be based on good reasoning supported by factual evidence in a case.

Inhalt
The Problem of Character Evidence.- Defining and Judging Character.- Integrity and Hypocrisy.- Simulative Reasoning and Plan Recognition.- Multi-Agent Dialogue.- A Multi-Agent System for Character Evidence.