Call for Papers

COMPUTATIONAL & LOGICAL ASPECTS OF MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS

A Special Issue of the Journal of Logic and Computation


INTRODUCTION

Intelligent agents and multi-agent systems are one of the most
important emerging technologies in computer science today.  Agents
have high level interaction capabilities and are capable of rational
autonomous action in dynamic, unpredictable, typically multi-agent
environments.  Agents are being applied in domains as different as
air-traffic control, network resource allocation, and user-interface
design. The aim of this special issue is to focus on the logical and
computational aspects of agent-based systems.


TOPICS OF INTEREST

Include, but are not restricted to:

	Logical foundations of rational agency:

	* logics of knowledge and belief
	* logics of belief, desire, and intention
	* logics of STIT and obligation for agent specification
	* mutual mental states: common knowledge, joint intention
	* the logic of speech acts
	* cooperation & coordination protocols
	* integrated theories of ability, knowledge & action
	* logics of interaction

	Formal methods in agent-based systems engineering:

	* formalisms for agent specification
	* executing (logical) agent specifications
	* synthesis of agents from logical/formal specifications
  	* verification and validation of (multi-)agent systems

	Computational aspects of multi-agent systems:

	* multi-agent decision problems and reasoning
	* complexity of multi-agent/social reasoning

Note that all submissions should clearly show their relevance to the
field of intelligent agents and multi-agent systems --- pure, abstract
theory papers may be more appropriate for regular issues of the
journal.


SPECIAL ISSUE EDITORS

	Fausto Giunchiglia
		IRST/Universita' di Trento
		Email fausto@irst.itc.it

	Nicholas R. Jennings
		Queen Mary & Westfield College
		Email n.r.jennings@qmw.ac.uk

	Mike Wooldridge
		Zuno, UK
		Email mjw@dib.com


SUBMISSION OF PAPERS

Authors who wish to submit to the special issue should send six
hardcopies of their paper to the editorial address of the JLC (see
below), to arrive later than 1 August 1997. All submissions should
clearly indicate that they are intended for the special issue on
multi-agent systems.  The first page of each submission should list
the full contact details (including full name, postal address, email
address, phone and fax number) of at least one author. Papers will
ideally be formatted using LaTeX (12pt `article' document class, with
the `plain' bibliography style), and will not exceed 25 pages in
length.  Submissions will be peer reviewed, and notification will be
sent (by email where possible) on or around 1 October 1997. Note that
relevance will be a key factor in determining acceptance for the
special issue: papers not meeting the relevance requirement, but
otherwise of a high quality, may be recommended for a standard JLC
issue.


IMPORTANT DATES

Deadline for submissions	1 August 1997
Notification sent		1 October 1997
Final papers due		1 November 1997
Publication			February 1998


ABOUT THE JOURNAL OF LOGIC AND COMPUTATION

Logic is a central topic in theoretical computer science. Logics,
classical and otherwise, have played a major part in the development
of both mainstream computer science and artificial intelligence.  The
Journal of Logic and Computation is the premier journal for work in
this area. It aims to promote the growth of logic and computing,
including, among others, the following areas of interest:

*	Logical Systems, such as classical and non classical logic,
	constructive logic, categorical logic, modal logic,
	type theory, feasible maths, ...

*	Logical issues in logic programming, knowledge based systems
	and automated reasoning.

*	Logical issues in knowledge representation, such as
	nonmonotonic reasoning and systems of knowledge and belief.

*	Logics and semantics of programming.

*	Specification and verification of programs and systems.

*	Applications of logic in hardware and VLSI, natural	
	language, concurrent computation, planning and databases.

The Journal is published bimonthly by Oxford University Press, with
the bulk of the material being technical scientific papers, although
regular contributions such as letters, reviews, and discussions are
also welcome.

The editorial address of the JLC is:

	Jane Spurr (JLC)
	Department of Computing,
	Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine,
	Huxley Building, 180 Queen's Gate,
	London SW7 2BZ, UK

	email js@doc.ic.ac.uk

For more information about JLC, see http://theory.doc.ic.ac.uk/jlc/