Argumentation Oct 2025 Open Access

Practical Argumentation and Rhetorical Structure Theory

Nancy Green

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between practical argumentation (PA) and Rhetorical Structure Theory (RST). PA is argumentation providing justification for an agent’s action. PA has been described in terms of a three-level structure composed of practical, evaluative, and classificatory argumentation schemes. RST is a linguistic theory that models the hierarchical structure of monological discourse in terms of discourse coherence relations. RST’s Motivation relation is intended to increase an agent’s inclination to perform some action. Our investigative approach was to analyze argumentation schemes of PA in examples of RST involving Motivation and to analyze RST structure for texts that have been used as examples of PA. The results of the investigation show uses, not only of Motivation, but also RST’s Antithesis, Concession, Evaluation, and Solutionhood. In some cases the RST analysis reflects the layered composition of argumentation schemes of PA.

Journal
Argumentation
Published
2025-10-11
DOI
10.1007/s10503-025-09680-1
CompPile
Open Access
OA PDF Hybrid
Topics
rhetorical criticism discourse analysis argument assessment
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