Story Schemes for Argumentation about the Facts of a Crime

In the literature on reasoning on the basis of evidence, two traditions exist: one argument-based, and one based on narratives. Recently, we have proposed a hybrid perspective in which argumentation and narratives are combined. This formalized hybrid theory has been tested in a sense-making software prototype for criminal investigators and decision makers. In the present paper, we elaborate on the role of commonsense knowledge. We argue that two kinds of knowledge are essential: argumentation schemes and story schemes. We discuss some of the research issues that need to be addressed.