My research focuses on the question of how creativity, cognitive change, and learning can be stimulated and guided by constructing diagrammatic representations, and by experimenting with those representations. This idea has first been developed by Charles S. Peirce in his concept of “diagrammatic reasoning.” Since 2004, I am developing “Logical Argument Mapping (LAM),” a method and diagrammatic system of representation that is supposed to fulfill an analytical and an interventional function (see http://lam.spp.gatech.edu/). The analytic function of LAM refers to facilitating both the understanding of complex texts and problems, and to clarifying one’s own position. And the interventional function refers to facilitating conflict negotiations, problem solving in social settings, and processes of deliberation. Most recently I am working on AGORA: Participate - deliberate!, a web-based software that is based on Logical Argument Mapping (LAM; see http://agora.gatech.edu/). The objective of the AGORA project is to develop an interactive web technology that makes both deliberation and the analysis of positions and controversies more effective and efficient. This web tool focuses on visualizing the structure of positions and underlying belief-value systems.
Diagrammatic Reasoning, Abduction, Semiotics, and Charles Peirce
Diagrams as Scaffolds for Creativity, AAAI Workshops, North America (2010)
Based on a typology of five basic forms of abduction, I propose a new definition...
“Theoric Transformations” and a New Classification of Abductive Inferences, Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society (2010)
Based on a definition of “abductive insight” and a critical discussion of G. Schurz’s (2008)...
Cognitive Conditions of Diagrammatic Reasoning, Georgia Tech's School of Public Policy Working Paper Series, 24 (2007)
Seeing Problems, Seeing Solutions. Abduction and Diagrammatic Reasoning in a Theory of Scientific Discovery, Abduction and the Process of Scientific Discovery (2007)
This paper sketches a theory of scientific discoveries that is mainly based on two concepts...
The complementarity of a representational and an epistemological function of signs in scientific activity (with Wolff-Michael Roth), Semiotica (2007)
Signs do not only “represent” something for somebody, as Peirce’s definition goes, but also “mediate”...
Logical Argument Mapping, Argument Visualization, and Argumentation Theory
Analyzing Framing Processes in Conflicts and Communication by Means of Logical Argument Mapping, Framing Matters: Perspectives on Negotiation Research and Practice in Communication (2011)
The primary goal of this chapter is to present a new method—called Logical Argument Mapping...
Climate Ethics: Structuring Deliberation by means of Logical Argument Mapping, Journal of Speculative Philosophy (2011)
This article shows how the problems of quantity and quality in large-scale public deliberation can...
Cognitive Effects of Argument Visualization Tools, Argumention: Cognition and Community. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference of the Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation (OSSA), May 18-21, 2011 (2011)
External representations play a crucial role in learning. At the same time, cognitive load theory...
Powerful Arguments: Logical Argument Mapping, 7th International Conference of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation. Proceedings (2011)
This paper argues that deductive arguments are "powerful" when the goal is to stimulate reflection...
Conflict Research and Ethics
Analyzing Framing Processes in Conflicts and Communication by Means of Logical Argument Mapping, Framing Matters: Perspectives on Negotiation Research and Practice in Communication (2011)
The primary goal of this chapter is to present a new method—called Logical Argument Mapping...
Analyzing Framing Processes by Means of Logical Argument Mapping, Intl. Association for Conflict Management, IACM 20TH Annual Conference Paper (2007)
The primary goal of this chapter is to present a new method—called Logical Argument Mapping...
Logical argument mapping: A method for overcoming cognitive problems of conflict management, International Journal of Conflict Management (2005)
A crucial problem of conflict management is that whatever happens in negotiations will be interpreted...
Das Problem der Zukunft im Rahmen holistischer Ethiken. Im Ausgang von Platon und Peirce, NaturStücke. Zur Kulturgeschichte der Natur (1996)
Philosophy of Mathematics
Grounding mathematics education. Michael Otte's contribution (with Johannes Lenhard and Falk Seeger) (2005)
Ancient Philosophy
The "Realization of the Due-Measure" as Structural Principle in Plato's Statesman, POLIS. Newsletter of the Society for the Study of Greek Political Thought (1993)
Paralegommena
Limits of truth: Exploring epistemological approaches to argumentation, Informal Logic (2005)
Some proponents of epistemological approaches to argumentation (Biro, Siegel, Lumer, Goldman) assume that it should...
What you should know to survive in knowledge societies. On a semiotic understanding of 'knowledge' (with Wolff-Michael Roth), Semiotica (2005)
Different situations - like school and workplace - demand different forms of knowledge. Even more...
Jona oder die Kunst, unrecht haben zu können. Überlegungen zur hermeneutischen Praxis, LESARTEN. Zeitschrift für Interpretation (1994)
Argument Maps
LAM map of Nagel's core argument in "The Problem of Global Justice" (2005) (2010)
This map is also available online: http://tinyurl.com/23vweqm
LAM map of Thomas Nagel (2005), The Problem of Global Justice (2010)
This map is also available online: http://tinyurl.com/22o9q9q
The Debate about the Stern-Review and the Economics of Climate Change (2010)
This map is -- in a different form, with linked sub-maps -- also available online:...
Argument Visualization in the Political Arena: The Debate on Global Climate Engineering (2009)
A map that shows a certain point in a fictitious deliberation which is supposed to...
Education, learning
Cognitive Effects of Argument Visualization Tools, Argumention: Cognition and Community. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference of the Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation (OSSA), May 18-21, 2011 (2011)
External representations play a crucial role in learning. At the same time, cognitive load theory...
Learning from people, things, and signs, Studies in Philosophy and Education (2007)
Starting from the observation that small children can count more objects than numbers—a phenomenon that...
Seeing Problems, Seeing Solutions. Abduction and Diagrammatic Reasoning in a Theory of Scientific Discovery, Abduction and the Process of Scientific Discovery (2007)
This paper sketches a theory of scientific discoveries that is mainly based on two concepts...
The complementarity of a representational and an epistemological function of signs in scientific activity (with Wolff-Michael Roth), Semiotica (2007)
Signs do not only “represent” something for somebody, as Peirce’s definition goes, but also “mediate”...