Explainability and Justification of Automatic-Decision Making: a Conceptual Framework and a Practical Application

Sarra Tajouri, Yves Meinard (), Alexis Tsoukias () and Thierry Kirat ()
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Sarra Tajouri: LAMSADE - Laboratoire d'analyse et modélisation de systèmes pour l'aide à la décision - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Yves Meinard: CGGG - Centre Gilles-Gaston Granger - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Alexis Tsoukias: LAMSADE - Laboratoire d'analyse et modélisation de systèmes pour l'aide à la décision - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Thierry Kirat: TRIANGLE - Triangle : action, discours, pensée politique et économique - ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - Université de Lyon - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - IEP Lyon - Sciences Po Lyon - Institut d'études politiques de Lyon - Université de Lyon - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne - UJM EPE - Université Jean Monnet (EPSCPE) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: Explainability of algorithmic decision-making systems is both a regulatory objective and an area of intense research. The article argues that a crucial condition for the acceptability of algorithmic decision-making systems is that decisions must be justified in the eyes of their recipients. We make a clear distinction between explanation and justification. Explanations describe how a decision was made, while justifications give reasons that aim to make the decision acceptable. We propose a conceptual framework of explanations and justifications, based on Habermas's theory of communicative action and Perelman's New Rhetoric theory of law. This framework helps to analyze how different forms of explanation can support or fail to support justification. We illustrate our approach with a case study on university admissions in France.

Keywords: algorithmic decision-making systems; univerty admissions; France (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Published in 2026, 31 p. ⟨10.48550/arXiv.2603.02073⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-05567849

DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2603.02073

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