Argumentation Sep 2023 Open Access

The Making of Argumentation Theory: A Pragma-dialectical View

Frans H. van Eemeren Leiden University ; Ton van Haaften Leiden University

Abstract

AbstractIn ‘The making of argumentation theory’ van Eemeren and van Haaften describe the contributions made to the five components of a full-fledged research program of argumentation theory by four prominent approaches to the discipline: formal dialectics, rhetoric/pragmalinguistics, informal logic, and pragma-dialectics. Most of these approaches do not contribute to all components, but to some in particular. Starting from the pragma-dialectical view of the relationship between dialectical reasonableness and rhetorical effectiveness – the crucial issue in argumentation theory – van Eemeren and van Haaften explain the positions taken by representatives from the approaches discussed and indicate where they differ from the pragma-dialectical approach. It transpires that approaches focusing on dialectical reasonableness are, next to pragma-dialectics, formal dialectics and informal logic; approaches focusing on rhetorical effectiveness are, next to pragma-dialectics, rhetoric and pragmalinguistics, and the informal logician Tindale. When it comes to the relationship between dialectical reasonableness and rhetorical effectiveness, some interest in it is shown in rhetoric and pragmalinguistics, but only in pragma-dialectics and in Tindale’s work is it a real focus. The main difference between Tindale’s view and the pragma-dialectical view is that in pragma-dialectics the decisive role in deciding about reasonableness is assigned to a code of conduct for reasonable argumentative discourse and in Tindale’s approach this role is assigned to Tindale’s interpretation of the Perelmanian universal audience.

Journal
Argumentation
Published
2023-09-01
DOI
10.1007/s10503-023-09618-5
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Topics
rhetorical criticism discourse analysis argument
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (4)

  1. Firdaus (2026)
    Ad Hominem at the Boundary of Reasonableness: Strategic Maneuvering and Ideolog…
    Argumentation
  2. Xia et al. (2025)
    The Evolution of Bianzheng in Modern Chinese Argumentation: From Reasoning to C…
    Argumentation
  3. Eemeren (2025)
    Why Argumentation Theory? Realizing the Practical Objectives of Argumentation T…
    Argumentation
  4. Landowska et al. (2024)
    Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Moral Foundations in Argumentation
    Argumentation

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CrossRef global citation count: 17 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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