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, Argumentation Studies PhD(c).
Lamenting the New Player Experience of Argumentation Theory: The Meta-Theoretical Riddle of R-D-L
ABSTRACT: “Argumentation Theory” (the field) is a rich, nascent, and multi-disciplinary enterprise of many perspectives. Its eclectic origins have resulted in stunningly-diverse abundances of rich sources and resources with which scholars, practitioners, and theorists might work. Whether one ‘works with theory in service of some project’ or ‘works on theory to advance the theory itself,’ there is no shortage of untapped possibilities.
However, great strengths can also be great weaknesses. For veterans already established in Argumentation Theory (the field), this impressive array of ideas thrums with tantalizing potential. For newcomers to the field, this expanse of potential can result in nebulous, overwhelming, inaccessible, and brutal experiences. The canon is unsettled; multifarious disagreements about ‘basic’ concepts like rhetoric, dialectic, and logic abound. The ‘new player experience’ can be remarkably lamentable.
In this provocative talk about the state of “Argumentation Theory” (the field), I approach this quandary from the perspective of meta-theory to highlight several of the ‘friction points’ that can negatively impact the accessibility and mobilizability of Argumentation Theory (the field). Rather than seek to remove the sources of that friction, I recommend developing meta-perspectives on argumentation theories that keep this richness a recognizable strength rather than letting it become unrecognized weakness.
Friday, November 24, 2023
3:00 pm
Chrysler Hall North, 1163