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Natural Normativity: Argumentation Theory As An Engaged Discipline, Michael A. Gilbert Jun 2007

Natural Normativity: Argumentation Theory As An Engaged Discipline, Michael A. Gilbert

OSSA Conference Archive

Natural normativity describes the means whereby social and cultural controls are placed on argumentative behaviour. The three main components of this are Goals, Context, and Ethos, which combine to form a dynamic and situational framework. Natural normativity is explained in light of Pragma-dialectics, Informal Logic, and Rhetoric. Finally, the theory is applied to the Biro-Siegel challenge.


Norms Of Legitimate Dissensus, Christian Kock Jun 2007

Norms Of Legitimate Dissensus, Christian Kock

OSSA Conference Archive

Argumentation theory needs to develop a tightly reasoned normative code of reasonableness in argumentation so that reasonableness is severed from the goal of reaching “consensus,” as in Habermas and others, or of “resolving the difference of opinion,” as in Pragma-dialectics. On one hand, given degenerative trends in present-day public debate, there is a need for argumentation scholars to enter the public sphere and try to lay down such a code as a common ground of controversy; on the other hand, argumentation theory should recognize that in important respects public controversies cannot be modeled as collaborative enterprises, because dissensus between groups …


The Arguers, Dale Hample Jun 2007

The Arguers, Dale Hample

OSSA Conference Archive

I wish to argue in favor of a particular orientation, one expressed in Brockriede's remark that "arguments are not in statements but in people." While much has been gained from textual analyses, even more will accrue by additional attention to the arguers. I consider that textual materials are really only the artifacts of arguments. The actual arguing is done exclusively by people, either the argument producers or receivers, and never by words on a page. In fact, most of our textual interpretations are quietly founded on the assumption that the artifact is fully informative about what people think


Context-Dependence And The Defining Of Logical Fallacies, Theodora Achourioti Jun 2007

Context-Dependence And The Defining Of Logical Fallacies, Theodora Achourioti

OSSA Conference Archive

This paper illustrates the difficulties that context-dependence poses for defining the so-called logical fallacies of affirming the consequent and denying the antecedent. In particular, I question whether these fallacies can be identified with specific argument patterns. I argue that judging such patterns as fallacious is relative to a) the type of underlying reasoning, and b) the world-knowledge deemed relevant to the argumentation at hand. It is concluded that a more context-sensitive definition should be pursued.


Commentary On Achourioti, Menashe Schwed Jun 2007

Commentary On Achourioti, Menashe Schwed

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Distortion And Excluded Middles, Jonathan E. Adler Jun 2007

Distortion And Excluded Middles, Jonathan E. Adler

OSSA Conference Archive

Why is there so much distortion in ordinary, political, social, and ethical argument? Since we have a pervasive interest in reasoning well and corresponding abilities, the extent of distortion invites explanation. The leading candidates are the need to economize, widespread, fallacious heuristics or assumptions, and self-defensive biases. I argue that these are not sufficient. An additional force is the intellectual pressure generated by acceptance of norms of conversation and argument, which exclude ‘middles’ of, prominently, neither accept (believe) nor reject (disbelieve). I conjecture that the distortion we find is due to intellectual and normative pressures generated by our commitment to …


Commentary On Amjarso, Michael A. Gilbert Jun 2007

Commentary On Amjarso, Michael A. Gilbert

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Commentary On Adler, Patrick Francken Jun 2007

Commentary On Adler, Patrick Francken

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Beyond The Boundaries: The Epistemological Significance Of Differing Cultural Perspectives, Sharon Bailin, Mark Battersby Jun 2007

Beyond The Boundaries: The Epistemological Significance Of Differing Cultural Perspectives, Sharon Bailin, Mark Battersby

OSSA Conference Archive

This paper explores the issue of the epistemological significance of taking into consideration alternative perspectives, particularly those from other cultures. We have a moral duty to respect the beliefs and practices of other cultures, but do we have an epistemological duty to take these beliefs and practices into consideration in our own deliberations? Are views that are held without exposure to alternatives from other cultures less credible than those that have undergone such exposure?


Commentary On Bailin & Battersby, Thomas J. Hynes Jr Jun 2007

Commentary On Bailin & Battersby, Thomas J. Hynes Jr

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Commentary On Van Belle, Raymie E. Mckerrow Jun 2007

Commentary On Van Belle, Raymie E. Mckerrow

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


No News Is Good News, Or The Appeal Of Controversy, Hilde Van Belle Jun 2007

No News Is Good News, Or The Appeal Of Controversy, Hilde Van Belle

OSSA Conference Archive

One of the strategies journalists use to attract their audience towards a news item is the suggestion of controversy. The terms by which issues are created influences the way discussions evolve. I will examine how such controversies can be part of an argumentative situation, and I will examine whether any evaluation standard can be developed in this matter. The style figure antithesis, as it is explored in Jeanne Fahnestock’s work, is a useful tool in considering invention, form and function of controversy and opposition.


Second Order Intersubjectivity: The Dialectical Aspect Of Argumentation, Lilian Bermejo-Luque Jun 2007

Second Order Intersubjectivity: The Dialectical Aspect Of Argumentation, Lilian Bermejo-Luque

OSSA Conference Archive

Following Rescher’s (1977) conception of dialectics, I argue for the view that the dialectical aspect of argumentation enables a “second order intersubjectivity”, to be understood in terms of the recursive nature of the activity of giving and asking for reasons. This feature underlies that most argumentative discourses represent the explicit part of a dynamic activity, “a mechanism of rational validation” (Rescher, 1977: xiii) which presupposes the possibility of attaining objectivity.


Commentary On Bermejo-Luque, James B. Freeman Jun 2007

Commentary On Bermejo-Luque, James B. Freeman

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Rights, Reasoning, And Dissensus, Chris Campolo Jun 2007

Rights, Reasoning, And Dissensus, Chris Campolo

OSSA Conference Archive

The recent proliferation of rights claims within our moral and political debates poses a threat to our reasoning skills. Rights claims often represent bids to name common ground, and we risk harm to our reasoning skills when we attempt to address dissensus by searching for common ground.


Commentary On Blair, David Hitchcock Jun 2007

Commentary On Blair, David Hitchcock

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


The “Logic” Of Informal Logic, J Anthony Blair Jun 2007

The “Logic” Of Informal Logic, J Anthony Blair

OSSA Conference Archive

Are there any logical norms for argument evaluation besides soundness and inductive strength? The paper will look at several concepts or models introduced over the years, including those of Wisdom, Toulmin, Wellman, Rescher, defeasible reasoning proponents and Walton to consider whether there is common ground among them that supplies an alternative to deductive validity and inductive strength.


Commentary On Campolo, Jerome E. Bickenbach Jun 2007

Commentary On Campolo, Jerome E. Bickenbach

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Is Common Ground A Word Or Just A Sound? Second Order Consensus And Argumentation Theory, Paola Cantu, Italo Testa Jun 2007

Is Common Ground A Word Or Just A Sound? Second Order Consensus And Argumentation Theory, Paola Cantu, Italo Testa

OSSA Conference Archive

This paper focuses on the role played by the concept of Common Ground by investigating various roles played by consensus and dissensus in different argumentation theories. A dynamic conception of Common Ground as a second order consensus will be invoked instead of a static definition as starting point, condition or result of an argumentative practice.


Commentary On Cantu & Testa, Moira Kloster Jun 2007

Commentary On Cantu & Testa, Moira Kloster

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Common Ground And Argument By Indirection In Two Seventeenth-Century Sermons, Claudia M. Carlos Jun 2007

Common Ground And Argument By Indirection In Two Seventeenth-Century Sermons, Claudia M. Carlos

OSSA Conference Archive

Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet's sermon to Louis XIV on the "Devoirs des rois" (1662) and John Donne's sermon to Queen Anne at Denmark House (1617) are both texts that offer indirect critiques of their royal audiences--critiques which, if stated more bluntly, might be politically dangerous to the respective speakers. What makes such oblique criticism "safe" and what ultimately makes it understood? The answer lies in the rhetor's ability to build common ground with the audience.


Commentary On Carlos, M A. Van Rees Jun 2007

Commentary On Carlos, M A. Van Rees

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Dissent In The Midst Of Emotional Territory, Linda Carozza Jun 2007

Dissent In The Midst Of Emotional Territory, Linda Carozza

OSSA Conference Archive

This paper expands Gilbert’s emotional mode of argumentation (1997). First, general concerns with arguments that stray from the traditional approach are addressed. Then a classification system for different types of emotional arguments is developed. Some of the criteria that help determine emotional arguments include dialogue types, arguers involved, as well as the use of emotion.


Commentary On Carozza, Charles V. Blatz Jun 2007

Commentary On Carozza, Charles V. Blatz

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Commentary On Ceron, Hilde Van Belle Jun 2007

Commentary On Ceron, Hilde Van Belle

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


A Pragma-Dialectical Analysis Of The Argumentative Discourse In Children, Gladys Ceron Jun 2007

A Pragma-Dialectical Analysis Of The Argumentative Discourse In Children, Gladys Ceron

OSSA Conference Archive

This is a research that describes and analyses the argumentative discourse in children from the second level of primary education in Chile. The corpus chosen are recordings from classes at each level (5th - 8th) at a school in Santiago. The argumentative segments of the corpus were isolated and classified according to the pragma-dialectical schemes and types of argument. It was observed that the classes analyzed were appropriate scenarios to develop a reflexive, open, tolerant and respectful dialogue.


Commentary On Cheng, Ruth Amossy Jun 2007

Commentary On Cheng, Ruth Amossy

OSSA Conference Archive

No abstract provided.


Undoing Common Ground: Argumentation In Self-Help Books, Martha S. Cheng Jun 2007

Undoing Common Ground: Argumentation In Self-Help Books, Martha S. Cheng

OSSA Conference Archive

Doxa have been central in theories of rhetorical persuasiveness since ancient times. Modern self-help books systematically undermine doxa in order to persuade readers to alter their behavior and their view of themselves. This paper investigates the method by which two best-selling self-help authors undo doxa. It finds that they use one type of doxa, generalized patterns of reasoning (topoi koinoi) to subvert another type of doxa, specific cultural or personal beliefs.


Prolepsis: Dealing With Multiple Viewpoints In Argument, Patrick Clauss Jun 2007

Prolepsis: Dealing With Multiple Viewpoints In Argument, Patrick Clauss

OSSA Conference Archive

This paper examines the argumentation strategy prolepsis: anticipating and subsequently responding to an argument before it has been made. Although prolepsis is common to a variety of arguments, it seems insufficiently studied or understood—or, worse, misunderstood as simply a “feint.” Drawing on scholarship in rhetorical theory and cognitive and social psychology, I offer a new understanding of prolepsis, recognizing the technique’s potential in argumentative discourse—especially in the search for “common ground.”


Virtue Epistemology And Argumentation Theory, Daniel H. Cohen Jun 2007

Virtue Epistemology And Argumentation Theory, Daniel H. Cohen

OSSA Conference Archive

Virtue epistemology (VE) was modeled on virtue ethics theories to transfer their ethical insights to epistemology. VE has had great success: broadening our perspective, providing new answers to traditional questions, and raising exciting new questions. I offer a new argument for VE based on the concept of cognitive achievements, a broader notion than purely epistemic achievements. The argument is then extended to cognitive transformations, especially the cognitive transformations brought about by argumentation.