Argumentation as an Object of Interest and as a Social and Cultural Resource
The development of argumentation theories in the contemporary epistemological space is shortly outlined and the pragma-dialectical approach is, in particular, considered for its focus on the theoretical kernel of the discipline and for systematically elic
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Abstract The development of argumentation theories in the contemporary epistemological space is shortly outlined and the pragma-dialectical approach is, in particular, considered for its focus on the theoretical kernel of the discipline and for systematically eliciting, from this, the connected methodological implications. The key notion of argument is specified by comparing it to the apparently near notion of demonstrative proof. Analogies (discursiveness, inferentiality, procedurality, critical approach) and differences (things that could also be in a different way, pragmaticity, use of ordinary language, implicitness) are brought to light, and the rather fuzzy but challenging and fundamental notion of reasonableness is identified as denoting the main value at stake in argumentative interactions. The authors propose a model of argumentative intervention in which argumentation is conceived as a particular type of communicative interaction. The model aims both at producing and at analyzing/evaluating argumentative interventions. Three core aspects of the argumentative intervention are highlighted in the model: the social context of communicative interaction, both in its institutionalized and in its interpersonal components, which is seen as the environment of argumentative activities; the inferential structure of argumentation, in its dialectical and relational components; and the quality of argumentation (distinguishing sound and manipulative argumentative moves). The fundamental claim is that assuring the quality of argumentation implies contributing to a healthy social consensus and promoting cultural development, at the individual and collective levels. Keywords Argumentation, Reasonableness, Argumentation studies, Argument schemes, Loci, Argumentum Model of Topics, Manipulative processess
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We are indebted to Joëlle Stoudmann for the very accurate and competent language revision.
E. Rigotti () and S. Greco Morasso Faculty of Communication Sciences, University of Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland e-mail: [email protected]
N. Muller Mirza and A.-N. Perret-Clermont (eds.), Argumentation and Education: Theoretical Foundations and Practices, DOI 10.1007/978-0-387-98125-3_2, © Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009
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E. Rigotti and S. Greco Morasso
Argument: In Search for the Hidden Meaning of the Word
The Latin word argumentum covers a fundamental notion of Argumentation theory. This word, which is immediately recalled by equivalent terms in many modern languages (English argument, Italian argomento, French argument, German Argument, Russian argument), is a noun derived from the verb arguo. We find in its lexical structure the key to its semantic content; thus, analyzing the way it is built constitutes a significant help to approaching our subject. The word is formed by the verb arguo and by the suffix – mentum. Now, the Latin suffix – mentum, bound to a verb, refers, in general, to the process of realisation of the action which the verb represents, indicating, in particular, the way and the mean
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