Papers by Giovanni Sartor
A bounded-reasoning agent may face two dimensions of uncertainty: firstly, the uncertainty arisin... more A bounded-reasoning agent may face two dimensions of uncertainty: firstly, the uncertainty arising from partial information and conflicting reasons, and secondly, the uncertainty arising from the stochastic nature of its actions and the environment. This paper attempts to address both dimensions within a single unified framework, by bringing together probabilistic argumentation and reinforcement learning. We show how a probabilistic rule-based argumentation framework can capture Markov decision processes and reinforcement learning agents; and how the framework allows us to characterise agents and their argument-based motivations from both a logic-based perspective and a probabilistic perspective. We advocate and illustrate the use of our approach to capture models of agency and norms, and argue that, in addition to providing a novel method for investigating agent types, the unified framework offers a sound basis for taking a mentalistic approach to agent profiles.
This paper provides an analysis of how concepts pertinent to legal contracts can influence certai... more This paper provides an analysis of how concepts pertinent to legal contracts can influence certain aspects of their digital implementation through smart contracts, as inspired by recent developments in distributed ledger technology. We discuss how properties of imperative and declarative languages including the underlying architectures to support contract management and lifecycle apply to various aspects of legal contracts. We then address these properties in the context of several blockchain architectures. While imperative languages are commonly used to implement smart contracts, we find that declarative languages provide more natural ways to deal with certain aspects of legal contracts and their automated management.
In this paper we propose a logical formalization of the legal concepts of suspensive and resoluti... more In this paper we propose a logical formalization of the legal concepts of suspensive and resolutive conditions within the STIT approach to action. At the technical level, our proposal consists in extending the STIT language with a special operator that allows us to represent the concept of a presumption. This enables us to model the retroactive effect of conditions.
Ratio Juris, 2009
I shall argue that issue of legal validity or legality (I will use these two terms as synonymous)... more I shall argue that issue of legal validity or legality (I will use these two terms as synonymous) can be addressed by taking an inferential stand, namely, by considering under what preconditions (antecedents) the legality of a norm can be inferred, and what postconditions (consequences) can be inferred from a norm's legality.
From practical reason to legal computer science: Legal computer science, 1998
Final version to be published in n Bongiovanni, G., Postema, G., Rotolo, A., Sartor, G., Valentini, C., and Walton, D., editors, Handbook of Legal Reasoning and Argumentation. Springer.
This chapter provides an analysis of defeasible legal reasoning as argumentation. It first provid... more This chapter provides an analysis of defeasible legal reasoning as argumentation. It first provides a general account of the idea of defeasibility and introduces the idea of nonmonotonic reasoning. It then focuses on defeasible argumentation, considering how defeasible arguments can be constructed and how they can be defeated by rebutting and undercutting counterarguments. The dialectical interactions of defeasible arguments are further explored by focusing on reinstatement and reasoning about priorities. The idea of legal systems as the basis for argumentation frameworks is then investigated. The rationale for defeasibility in law is discussed, along with the possibility of using different approaches, such as revision or probability, to deal with uncertainty in legal reasoning. Finally, an account is provided of the emergence of theories of defeasibility in philosophy, logic, and legal theory.
International Journal of Law and Information Technology, 2010
The Tribunal of Milan has recently convicted three Google executives for violating data protectio... more The Tribunal of Milan has recently convicted three Google executives for violating data protection law, in connection with the on-line posting of a video showing a disabled person being bullied and insulted. This paper, after illustrating the facts of the case and the reasoning of the judge, discusses the main issue at stake, namely, the role and responsibilities of providers of platforms for user-created contents with regard to violations of data privacy.
Who is responsible for accidents in highly automated systems? How do we apportion liability among... more Who is responsible for accidents in highly automated systems? How do we apportion liability among the various participants in complex socio-technical organisations? How can different liability regulations at different levels (supranational, national, local) be harmonized? How do we provide for accountability, while promoting safety? These and other questions are being addressed by the ALIAS (Addressing Liability in Automated Systems) project, which is co-financed by EUROCONTROL on behalf of the SESAR Joint Undertaking as part of Work Package E. The project focuses on the legal implications of automation -exploring the wide spectrum of relations between automation and liability, focusing on Air Traffic Management (ATM), but also considering various domains that face similar issues, such as HealthCare, ICT, Train Transport, Navy, automotive industry, etc. The paper presents the outline framework of the project, its objectives, and the initial steps being taken to create an online multidisciplinary "community of practice" around the relationships between liability and automation in socio-technical systems.
... K. Wang, Intelligent Condition Monitoring and Diagnosis Systems-A Computational IntelligenceA... more ... K. Wang, Intelligent Condition Monitoring and Diagnosis Systems-A Computational IntelligenceApproach Vol. ... legal language has become crucial in the building of the semantic web: new intelligent ... Decisions in Governmental Process Design 11 Thomas F. Gordon A Use Case ...
In this paper we present an application of argument maps for assessing liability in the field of ... more In this paper we present an application of argument maps for assessing liability in the field of Air Traffic Management (ATM), developed within ALIAS (Addressing the Liability Impact of Automated Systems) project. Such maps are used for presenting legal concepts and norms to lawyers and non lawyers (engineers, software developers and other technical personnel), within the cooperative design and assessment of new technologies for ATM.
This paper studies the logical modelling of presumptions and their effects on the burden of proof... more This paper studies the logical modelling of presumptions and their effects on the burden of proof. Presumptions are modelled as default rules and their effect on the burden of proof is defined in terms of a distinction between the burden of production, the burden of persuasion and the tactical burden of proof. These notions are logically characterised in such a
Proceedings of the fourth international conference on Artificial intelligence and law - ICAIL '93, 1993
Abstract In many commonsense contexts only incoherent and conflicting information is available. I... more Abstract In many commonsense contexts only incoherent and conflicting information is available. In such contexts reasonable conclusions must be derived from inconsistent sets of premises. This is especially the case in legal reasoning: legal norms can be issued by ...
Proceedings of the third international conference on Artificial intelligence and law - ICAIL '91, 1991
This paper examines the relatwn between the structure of legal norms and nonmonotonic reasom ng.... more This paper examines the relatwn between the structure of legal norms and nonmonotonic reasom ng. It is argued that there is need to distinguish two categories of elements in norm conditions: principal futs and secondary f~ ts. Ascertainment of the principai facts is ...
Law and Philosophy Library, 2009
I shall argue for a sufficientist understanding of reasonableness in legal decision-making: cogni... more I shall argue for a sufficientist understanding of reasonableness in legal decision-making: cognitive or moral optimality are not required for reasonableness; what needed is just that a determinationbe it epistemic or practicalis sufficiently good (acceptable, or at least not ...
Legislative XML for the Semantic Web, 2011
This chapter puts the issue of the management of parliamentary information in the context of the ... more This chapter puts the issue of the management of parliamentary information in the context of the present trends in the provision of legal information. Opportunities and challenges related to the emergence of the semantic web are considered
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Papers by Giovanni Sartor