Argumentation
The Key Concepts
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 28. November 2025
Book
Hardback
234 pages
978-1-032-73077-6 (ISBN)
Description
This book is an accessible reference guide to the key concepts associated with argumentation theory, criticism, and pedagogy.
Providing an encyclopedic-style synthesis, the book defines and describes 175 essential concepts of argumentation, and provides discussion of the meaning, application, and impact, as well as offering suggestions for further reading. Readers are introduced to foundational reasoning methods-deductive, inductive, and abductive-as well as key argumentative models such as the Toulmin Model and Pragma-Dialectics. The text delves into the identification and analysis of fallacies, the evaluation of evidence, and the crucial roles of context, audience adaptation, and argumentative style. It explores the ethical dimensions of argument, the impact of cognitive bias, and the influence of cultural and discourse communities.
The first of its kind and a key entry point to understanding the fundamental principles of the field, this guidebook is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in argumentation, debate, rhetoric, and communication studies as well as other related disciplines. It will also be of interest to the general reader looking to improve their analytical and decision-making abilities.
Providing an encyclopedic-style synthesis, the book defines and describes 175 essential concepts of argumentation, and provides discussion of the meaning, application, and impact, as well as offering suggestions for further reading. Readers are introduced to foundational reasoning methods-deductive, inductive, and abductive-as well as key argumentative models such as the Toulmin Model and Pragma-Dialectics. The text delves into the identification and analysis of fallacies, the evaluation of evidence, and the crucial roles of context, audience adaptation, and argumentative style. It explores the ethical dimensions of argument, the impact of cognitive bias, and the influence of cultural and discourse communities.
The first of its kind and a key entry point to understanding the fundamental principles of the field, this guidebook is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in argumentation, debate, rhetoric, and communication studies as well as other related disciplines. It will also be of interest to the general reader looking to improve their analytical and decision-making abilities.
Reviews / Votes
"Argumentation is the root of philosophy and communication. But what exactly is it? The conceptual pillars of argument analysis, interpretation, and evaluation are explained in this book with stunning clarity and accessibility. It is a reference book, an introductory manual, a comprehensive guide for understanding how we put our reasoning in words."Fabrizio Macagno, University of Lisbon, Portugal
"With concise entries covering an expansive array of concepts, this resource guide is essential for any who study or practice argumentation. It offers clear definitions, illustrative examples, and further readings. The book is an essential glossary for anyone reading argumentation literature."
Catherine Palczewski, University of Northern Iowa, USA
"In Argumentation: The Key Concepts, Edward Schiappa provides an invaluable introduction and bibliography covering 175 central ideas that have shaped the study of public argument and formal logic. The book should be on the shelf of every argumentation scholar."
Robert C. Rowland, University of Kansa, USA
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Academic, General, Postgraduate, Undergraduate Advanced, and Undergraduate Core
Illustrations
2 s/w Zeichnungen, 2 s/w Abbildungen
2 Line drawings, black and white; 2 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
448 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-73077-6 (9781032730776)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
approx. 11/2025
1st Edition
Routledge
€63.30
Not yet published
E-Book
11/2025
1st Edition
Routledge
€55.49
Available for download
Person
Edward Schiappa is the John E. Burchard Professor of Humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. His recent publications include Argumentation: Keeping Faith with Reason (Routledge, 2024) and The Transgender Exigency: Defining Sex & Gender in the 21st Century (Routledge, 2022).
Content
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Preface
Abduction (Abductive Reasoning)
Affirming a Disjunct (argument by dilemma)
Analogical reasoning
Antecedent
Argument
Argumentative pattern
Argumentative style
Argumentum ad baculum (appeal to force)
Argumentum ad hominem (fallacy)
Argumentum ad hominem (in philosophy)
Argumentum ad misericordium (appeal to pity)
Argumentum ad populum (bandwagon fallacy)
Argumentum ad rem (argument to the matter)
Argument diagramming
Argument evaluation
Argument from analogy
Argument from authority
Argument from ignorance
Argument metaphors
Argument reconstruction
Argument strength
Argumentation and advocacy
Argumentation ethics
Argumentative grammar
Argumentativity
Artificial Intelligence and argument
Audience adaptation
Axiom
Backing
Biconditionals
Bivalent logic
Burden of proof
Burden of rejoinder
Causal argument
Circular reasoning
Claim
Cogency
Cognitive biases
Cognitive research on argumentation
Commitment
Common knowledge (Sensus Communis)
Communicative Action Theory
Computational Models of Argument
Conclusion
Conjunction
Consensus
Consequent
Constructive argumentation
Constructive dilemma
Context
Contradiction
Controversy
Cooperative argument
Counterfactual
Counterplan
Critical Discourse Analysis
Critical thinking
Cultural norms of argumentation
Debate
Deductive reasoning
Defeasible reasoning
Definitions and definitional argument
Deliberative rhetoric
Destructive dilemma
Dialectic
Dialogical argumentation
Discourse community
Discovery and invention
Disjunctive reasoning
Doublespeak
Elaboration Likelihood Model
Embodiment
Emotive arguments
Enactment
Enthymeme
Eristic
Ethos
Evidence
Evidence-based reasoning
Explanatory arguments
Factual claims
Fallacies
Fallacy of relative privation
False cause (post hoc fallacy)
Feminine style
Feminist argument theory
Fields of argument
Formal logic
Framing analysis
Identity argument
Incommensurability
Inductive reasoning
Inference
Informal logic
Information seeking
Inquiry
Interpersonal argument
Justification
Lemma
Linguistic approaches to argument studies
Logical operators
Logical Positivism
Logos
Meta-argumentation
Metacognition
Misinformation
Modal logic
Modus ponens and modus tollens
Multimodal argument
Narrative argument
Natural argument
Negotiation
Non sequitor
Normative reasoning
Obligation Game
Parody and satire
Pathos
Personal sphere of argument
Persuasion
Policy claims
Pragma-Dialectics
Pragmatics
Predicate logic
Premise
Presumption
Proof
Proposition
Public sphere of argument
Qualifier
Quantifier
Quantitative reasoning
Racist argument
Radical argumentativism
Rationality
Reason
Rebuttal
Reconstructive analysis
Red herring
Reductio ad absurdum
Relevance
Rhetoric
Rhetorical analysis
Scientific rhetoric
Selfhood and argument
Semantics
Sign reasoning
Significance
Slippery slope
Socratic method
Solvency
Soundness
Standpoint analysis
Stasis
Stock Issues
Strategic design
Strategic maneuvering
Straw person argument
Style
Syllogistic reasoning
Tautology
Technical sphere of argument
Theorem
Topoi
Toulmin Model
Transposition
Tu quoque fallacy
Unexpressed premise
Universal audience
Universal generalization
Validity, formal
Validity, informal
Value Based Argumentation Frameworks
Value claims
Visual argumentation
Warrant
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
Preface
Abduction (Abductive Reasoning)
Affirming a Disjunct (argument by dilemma)
Analogical reasoning
Antecedent
Argument
Argumentative pattern
Argumentative style
Argumentum ad baculum (appeal to force)
Argumentum ad hominem (fallacy)
Argumentum ad hominem (in philosophy)
Argumentum ad misericordium (appeal to pity)
Argumentum ad populum (bandwagon fallacy)
Argumentum ad rem (argument to the matter)
Argument diagramming
Argument evaluation
Argument from analogy
Argument from authority
Argument from ignorance
Argument metaphors
Argument reconstruction
Argument strength
Argumentation and advocacy
Argumentation ethics
Argumentative grammar
Argumentativity
Artificial Intelligence and argument
Audience adaptation
Axiom
Backing
Biconditionals
Bivalent logic
Burden of proof
Burden of rejoinder
Causal argument
Circular reasoning
Claim
Cogency
Cognitive biases
Cognitive research on argumentation
Commitment
Common knowledge (Sensus Communis)
Communicative Action Theory
Computational Models of Argument
Conclusion
Conjunction
Consensus
Consequent
Constructive argumentation
Constructive dilemma
Context
Contradiction
Controversy
Cooperative argument
Counterfactual
Counterplan
Critical Discourse Analysis
Critical thinking
Cultural norms of argumentation
Debate
Deductive reasoning
Defeasible reasoning
Definitions and definitional argument
Deliberative rhetoric
Destructive dilemma
Dialectic
Dialogical argumentation
Discourse community
Discovery and invention
Disjunctive reasoning
Doublespeak
Elaboration Likelihood Model
Embodiment
Emotive arguments
Enactment
Enthymeme
Eristic
Ethos
Evidence
Evidence-based reasoning
Explanatory arguments
Factual claims
Fallacies
Fallacy of relative privation
False cause (post hoc fallacy)
Feminine style
Feminist argument theory
Fields of argument
Formal logic
Framing analysis
Identity argument
Incommensurability
Inductive reasoning
Inference
Informal logic
Information seeking
Inquiry
Interpersonal argument
Justification
Lemma
Linguistic approaches to argument studies
Logical operators
Logical Positivism
Logos
Meta-argumentation
Metacognition
Misinformation
Modal logic
Modus ponens and modus tollens
Multimodal argument
Narrative argument
Natural argument
Negotiation
Non sequitor
Normative reasoning
Obligation Game
Parody and satire
Pathos
Personal sphere of argument
Persuasion
Policy claims
Pragma-Dialectics
Pragmatics
Predicate logic
Premise
Presumption
Proof
Proposition
Public sphere of argument
Qualifier
Quantifier
Quantitative reasoning
Racist argument
Radical argumentativism
Rationality
Reason
Rebuttal
Reconstructive analysis
Red herring
Reductio ad absurdum
Relevance
Rhetoric
Rhetorical analysis
Scientific rhetoric
Selfhood and argument
Semantics
Sign reasoning
Significance
Slippery slope
Socratic method
Solvency
Soundness
Standpoint analysis
Stasis
Stock Issues
Strategic design
Strategic maneuvering
Straw person argument
Style
Syllogistic reasoning
Tautology
Technical sphere of argument
Theorem
Topoi
Toulmin Model
Transposition
Tu quoque fallacy
Unexpressed premise
Universal audience
Universal generalization
Validity, formal
Validity, informal
Value Based Argumentation Frameworks
Value claims
Visual argumentation
Warrant
Bibliography
Index