The OWL: Software support for a model of argumentation

The OWL is an “idea cruncher” designed to assist in constructing, analyzing, and comparing debates and arguments. The design philosophy of OWL and the pragmatics of representing argument structures are explained, and applications are presented in three different areas: a 2-year open forum on state revenue issues, an analysis of the cohesiveness of a published argument, and a personalized learning system. The presentation concludes with a prognosis and a discussion of future plans.