Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse: Extending the pragma-dialectical theory of argumentation

322 Pages·2010·3.32 MB·English

by  Frans H. van Eemeren

Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse
Argumentation in Context (AIC)
This new bookseries highlights the variety of argumentative practices that have
become established in modern society by focusing on the study of context-dependent
characteristics of argumentative discourse that vary according to the demands of the
more or less institutionalized communicative activity type in which the discourse
takes place. Examples of such activity types are parliamentary debates and political
interviews, medical consultations and health brochures, legal annotations and judicial
sentences, editorials and advertorials in newspapers, and scholarly reviews and essays.
Editors
Frans van Eemeren Bart Garssen
University of Amsterdam University Amsterdam
Editorial Board
Mark Aakhus Eddo Rigotti
Rutgers University University of Lugano
Marianne Doury Sara Rubinelli
CNRS Paris University of Lugano
Eveline T. Feteris Takeshi Suzuki
University of Amsterdam Meiji University
G. Thomas Goodnight Giovanni Tuzet
University of Southern California Bocconi University
Cornelia Ilie David Zarefsky
Örebro University Northwestern University
Sally Jackson Gábor Zemplén
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Budapest University of Technology and
Economic
Manfred Kienpointner
University of Innsbrueck
Volume 2
Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse.
Extending the pragma-dialectical theory of argumentation
by Frans H. van Eemeren
Strategic Maneuvering
in Argumentative Discourse
Extending the pragma-dialectical theory
of argumentation
Frans H. van Eemeren
University of Amsterdam

John Benjamins Publishing Company
Amsterdam / Philadelphia
TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
8
American National Standard for Information Sciences – Permanence of
Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Eemeren, F. H. van (Frans Hendrik), 1946-
Strategic maneuvering in argumentative discourse : extending the pragma-dialectical
theory of argumentation / Frans H. van Eemeren.
p. cm. (Argumentation in Context, issn 1877-6884 ; v. 2)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Persuasion (Rhetoric) 2. Discourse analysis. I. Title.
P301.5.P47E35 2010
808’.042--dc22 2010006372
isbn 978 90 272 1119 4 (Hb ; alk. paper)
isbn 978 90 272 8827 1 (Eb)
© 2010 – John Benjamins B.V.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any
other means, without written permission from the publisher.
John Benjamins Publishing Co. · P.O. Box 36224 · 1020 me Amsterdam · The Netherlands
John Benjamins North America · P.O. Box 27519 · Philadelphia pa 19118-0519 · usa
Dedicated to the memory of
Peter Houtlosser,
My former student, co-author, and friend
In the end, reasonableness prevails

Table of contents
Preface xi
chapter 1
Analyzing argumentative discourse 1
1.1 The scope of reason in argumentative discourse 1
1.2 Normative pragmatics as a theoretical perspective 4
1.3 Reconstructing the process of resolving a difference of opinion 8
1.4 Constructing an analytic overview of argumentative discourse 12
1.5 Accounting for an analytic overview 16
1.6 Getting a better grip on argumentative reality 19
1.7 An extended pragma-dialectical theory 22
chapter 2
Strategic maneuvering between effectiveness and reasonableness 25
2.1 Defining argumentation theoretically 25
2.2 Maintaining reasonableness in argumentative discourse 29
2.3 Aiming for effectiveness in argumentative discourse 36
2.4 The notion of strategic maneuvering as an analytic instrument 39
2.5 Strategic maneuvering in the various stages of the resolution process 43
2.6 Coordinated strategic maneuvering and discussion strategies 45
2.7 Accounting for strategic maneuvering in the analysis 47
chapter 3
Dialectical and rhetorical perspectives on argumentative discourse 51
3.1 Diverging meta-theoretical outlooks on dialectic and rhetoric 51
3.2 Reasonable arg umentative discourse in classical dialectical approaches 55
3.3 Reasonable argumentative discourse in modern dialectical approaches 59
3.4 Effective argumentative discourse in classical rhetorical approaches 66
3.5 Effective argumentative discourse in modern rhetorical approaches 72
3.6 Different views on the relationship between dialectic and rhetoric 81
3.7 Strategic maneuvering as a concept bridging dialectic and rhetoric 87
 Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse
chapter 4
Three inseparable aspects of strategic maneuvering 93
4.1 The strategic maneuvering triangle 93
4.2 Topical selection in strategic maneuvering 96
4.3 Theoretical contributions to the analysis of topical selection 101
4.4 Adaptation to audience demand in strategic maneuvering 108
4.5 Theoretical contributions to the analysis of adjusting to audience demand 113
4.6 Presentational choices in strategic maneuvering 118
4.7 Theoretical contributions to the analysis of presentational choices 122
chapter 5
Strategic maneuvering in conventionalized communicative practices 129
5.1 Argumentative discourse in different domains of communicative activity 129
5.2 The theoretical treatment of argumentation in context 131
5.3 Distinguishing between communicative activity types 138
5.4 Communicative activity types and the model of a critical discussion 144
5.5 Characterizing the argumentative features of communicative activity types 146
5.6 Institutional preconditions for strategic maneuvering 152
5.7 A case of confrontational strategic maneuvering in the political domain 159
chapter 6
Determining the strategic function of argumentative moves 163
6.1 Four factors serving as parameters 163
6.2 A case in point: Shell’s advertorial about its role in Nigeria 165
6.3 The analytic overview as a source for results aspired to 168
6.4 Dialectical profiles as a source for available routes 171
6.5 Communicative activity types as a source for institutional constraints 174
6.6 The argumentative situation as a source for commitment sets 178
6.7 Analyzing an argumentative move for its strategic function 183
chapter 7
Fallacies as derailments of strategic maneuvering 187
7.1 Hamblin’s crit icism of the logical standard treatment 187
7.2 The need for a comprehensive approach to the fallacies 190
7.3 Fallacies as violations of rules for critical discussion 193
7.4 Strategic maneuvering and the deceptiveness of fallacies 196
7.5 Context-independent criteria for judging fallaciousness 200
7.6 Context-dependent criteria for judging fallaciousness 203
7.7 Evaluating the soundness of strategic maneuvers: An example 207
Table of contents 
chapter 8
Strategic maneuvering with the burden of proof 213
8.1 The burden of proof as a procedural concept 213
8.2 Meeting the burden of proof by means of argumentation 216
8.3 The order of defense in a mixed difference of opinion 218
8.4 A pragmatic rationale for deciding on the order of defense 224
8.5 The pragmatic status quo and the order of defense 227
8.6 Stage-bound maneuvering with the burden of proof 230
8.7 A case of managing the burden of proof in advertisements 235
chapter 9
Strategic maneuvering in response to presumed
inconsistency or fallaciousness 241
9.1 Logical and pragmatic inconsistencies in a party’s avowed commitments 241
9.2 Tu quoque fallacies as derailments of pointing out inconsistencies 244
9.3 An accusation of inconsistency case from Dutch politics 249
9.4 The practical impact of the occurrence of fallacies 252
9.5 Repairing derailments that do not cancel reasonableness 253
9.6 Two diverging proposals for dealing with perceived fallacies 257
9.7 Re-railing repairable derailments of strategic maneuvering 261
chapter 10
Setting up an agenda for further research 263
10.1 Recapitulating the basics of the extended pragma-dialectical theory 263
10.2 Maintaining coherence and vitality in the research program 265
10.3 Reviewing dialectical and rhetorical perspectives philosophically 266
10.4 Defining types of strategic maneuvering and soundness
conditions theoretically 267
10.5 Describing modes of strategic maneuvering and their effects empirically 269
10.6 Reconstructing strategic maneuvers and broader strategies analytically 271
10.7 Characterizing communicative activity types praxeologically 273
References 275
Index of names 295
Index of terms 299