Argumentation update in YALLA (Yet Another Logic Language for Argumentation)

•We propose a complete framework for handling the dynamics of an abstract argumentation system.•This frame can encompass several belief bases under the form of several argumentation systems.•We show that change in argumentation in such a framework can be seen as a particular case of belief update.•We introduce a new logical language called YALLA in which the structure of an argumentation system can be encoded.•We provide a set of new properties that are specific for argumentation update.

This article proposes a complete framework for handling the dynamics of an abstract argumentation system. This frame can encompass several belief bases under the form of several argumentation systems, more precisely it is possible to express and study how an agent who has her own argumentation system can interact on a target argumentation system (that may represent a state of knowledge at a given stage of a debate). The two argumentation systems are defined inside a reference argumentation system called the universe which constitutes a kind of “common language”. This paper establishes three main results. First, we show that change in argumentation in such a framework can be seen as a particular case of belief update. Second, we have introduced a new logical language called YALLA in which the structure of an argumentation system can be encoded, enabling to express all the basic notions of argumentation theory (defense, conflict-freeness, extensions) by formulae of YALLA. Third, due to previous works about dynamics in argumentation we have been in position to provide a set of new properties that are specific for argumentation update.