Advances in Argumentation Theory and Research

Book excerpt: For this volume the editors commissioned the top theorists in argumentation and hu­man communication to submit essays in their areas of specialization. Because there are sixteen essays contrib­uted by twenty-one specialists, many points of view are represented in this volume; all of the essayists, however, look upon argumen­tation as a process of human communication, not a species of formal logic. These essayists see the function of argument as a method of attaining social knowledge. The editors have assembled this volume to make available the latest advances in argumentation; for schol­ars it serves as a "state of the discipline" report. The editors have divided the book into four sections: "Conceptual Foundations," "Reasoning and Reasonableness," "Meth­odological Issues," and "Uses of Argument." Those contributing under the heading "Con­ceptual Foundations" are: Daniel J. O'Keefe, Charles Arthur Willard, Ray D. Dearin, and Henry W. Johnstone, Jr. Contributors to the "Reasoning and Rea­sonableness" section are: Ray E. McKerrow, Thomas B. Farrell, Barbara J. O'Keefe, Pam­ela J. Benoit, Malcolm O. Sillars, and Patricia Ganer. Under "Methodological Issues" the contributors are: Scott Jacobs, Sally Jackson, V. William Balthrop, and Dale Hample. Contributors to "Uses of Argument" are: Ch. Perelman, E. Culpepper Clark, Robert P. Newman, Walter R. Fisher, Richard A. Fil­loy, and Richard D. Rieke. Reference list prepared by Glenda Rhodes and Jack Rhodes.