Abstract
Much has been written on the use of rhetorical argumentation to alter the beliefs of a partner agent within a particular negotiation. The problem addressed in this chapter is the measurement of the long-term value of rhetorical argumentation in repeated interactions between a pair of agents, and of the management of such argumentation to achieve strategic aims concerning the strength of the agents’ relationships. RANA is a relationshipaware negotiation agent in the context of information-based agents [1] that have embedded tools from information theory enabling them to measure and manage strategic information.
Keywords: Argumentation, Negotiation, Bargaining, Social relationships, Information theory, Rhetorics, Trust, Software Agent, Agent architecture, Multi-agent System.