Descriptive studies of argumentative discourse

Abstract

After differentiating between (“emic”) interpretive and judgment relevance of argumentative moves, on the one hand, and (“etic”) analytic and evaluative relevance of argumentative moves, on the other hand, descriptive empirical research of argumentative discourse is reported. First attention is paid to qualitative research of argumentative indicators that are used by ordinary arguers in interpreting argumentative moves. Next an overview is provided of quantitative experimental research concerning the identification of argumentative moves. A separate section is devoted to the comprehensive pragma-dialectical research project concerning ordinary arguers’ standards of reasonableness and the conclusions that can be drawn from it regarding the potential conventional validity of some representative parts of the code of conduct for reasonable argumentative discourse. The chapter concludes with the introduction of empirical research of hidden fallaciousness in argumentative discourse that is caused by the mimicking of reasonable argumentative moves.