Speaker's Series Nov. 23

Friday, November 23, 2018 - 15:00

Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation & Rhetoric along with the PhD in Argumentation Studies at the University of Windsor invite you to a talk by

 

Michael A. Yong-Set

CRRAR Student Fellow, Argumentation Studies

 

“Ending the WAR of Argument: A New Challenger Approaches”

 

Abstract: When thinking about and describing the nature of argument, WAR is one of the most popular, prominent and powerful metaphors. But for all the ways this metaphor helpfully guides us in understanding argument, there seem to be several very troubling ways that it can misdirect our thinking and miscalibrate our expectations when we argue.

 

Daniel Cohen lays out the dilemma this way: While we might want to change our structuring metaphor for argument, he is skeptical that another single comparison could dethrone Argument-as-WAR. It explains too much, matches up too well and helps us conceptualize argument too effectively, despite its other flaws.


I attempt to meet this challenge by harnessing the insights of ludology - the academic and critical study of games qua games. I propose that the 'Argument-as-GAME' metaphor not only meets but exceeds the standard set by the WAR metaphor. 

 

In understanding argument through competitive games, we do more than avoid the troublesome dimensions of war; we also gain a powerful new unifying framework that can account for adversarial, collaborative and 'single-player' modes of argument.

Friday, November 23, 2018

3:00 pm

Chrysler Hall North, 1163

All are welcome

(519)253-3000