Argumentation Theory

Argumentation theory is a multidisciplinary field drawing from communication theory, linguistics, philosophy, discourse analysis, and social psychology. Argumentation becomes concerned with investigating the nature and structure of argument as it occurs in real, natural situations. Given the frequency with which arguments occur in daily life, it is a vital branch of communication studies.

The area of argumentation theory has, on the one hand, been around since the time of Aristotle, but on the other, it has been around as a demarcated discipline since the 1970s. It was at that time that researchers began investigating interactive argument as it occurs in daily life, or as it is sometimes called, marketplace argument. Very broadly speaking, two approaches can be identified, though there is often overlap. The first approach ...