Abstracts
Abstract
It is widely believed that Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca’s theory of argumentation is vulnerable to the charge of relativism. This paper provides a more charitable interpretation of Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca’s normative views, one that properly considers the historical trajectory of their work and a wider range of texts than existing interpretations. It is argued that their views are better characterized as a form of “contrastivism about arguments” than any kind relativism. This more accurate depiction contributes to ongoing efforts to revive interest in Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca’s work as well as build bridges with trends in contemporary argumentation theory.
Keywords:
- rhetoric,
- audience,
- reasonable,
- pluralism,
- relativism
Résumé
Il est largement admis que la théorie de l’argumentation de Perelman et Olbrechts-Tyteca est vulnérable à l’accusation de relativisme. Cet article propose une interprétation plus charitable des vues normatives de Perelman et Olbrechts-Tyteca, une interprétation qui considère correctement la trajectoire historique de leur travail et un éventail de textes plus large que les interprétations existantes. On fait valoir que leurs opinions sont mieux caractérisées comme une forme de « contrastivisme sur les arguments » que comme n’importe quelle sorte de relativisme. Cette représentation plus précise contribue aux efforts en cours visant à raviver l’intérêt pour le travail de Perelman et Olbrechts-Tyteca ainsi qu’à établir des ponts avec les tendances de la théorie contemporaine de l’argumentation.
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Appendices
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