Rhetoric and Sophistic Wisdom: The Art of Articulating Reason

Author: (He Lan) Flanders H. van Eemeren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-23
Features: This book systematically introduces critical thinking through the analysis and evaluation of arguments, as well as providing tools for expressing arguments in written or oral discourse forms. It attempts to offer universal principles and methods for students interested in learning about argumentative discussions. The book views argumentation as a specific form of communication occurring within a critical discussion context, focusing on arguments found in everyday discussions. It systematically discusses key concepts in argumentation research and uses examples from real-life discourse and texts to help explain these concepts. The book examines the fundamental principles of analyzing and evaluating argumentative discussions, and provides methodological tools for identifying disagreements, analyzing and evaluating arguments, and expressing arguments in written or oral forms. The Art of Argumentation combines philosophy and logic to analyze and study argumentative discourse, introducing critical thinking methods and techniques into argumentation. This not only enhances argumentation skills but also elevates cognitive abilities. The book is suitable not only for undergraduate and graduate students interested in communication studies, communication theory, law, education, philosophy, linguistics, discourse theory, writing, and public speaking but also holds significant practical value for professional training. Mastering this mode of thinking in argumentation can have a very notable effect on the success of political and business negotiations. Furthermore, the numerous exercises based on real-life scenarios in this book provide highly effective ways to improve analytical, evaluative, and expressive skills in argumentation. It is both an academic work and a highly practical book in many fields.