OSSA 13

Argumentation theorists know that their work has real-life application, and similarly, we draw inspiration for that work from our real-life experiences. Sometimes, it comes from some public medium – the newspaper, a blog, a debate stage. But we also draw from more private reason-exchanges – an exchange with a neighbor, small-talk with a colleague, or a lovers’ spat. A few worries about publicly theorizing about those more private cases arise. We may be making public something that was unguarded, and so betray a trust. And our theoretical reflections may themselves warp the relationship we’d originally savored, particularly when our partners know about the possibility of them being publicly scrutinized. Novelists and poets regularly struggle with this challenge with their work, and we argumentation theorists should, too.

Our intuition is straightforward: yes, argumentation changes minds. It can't be otherwise! But many cognitive and discursive habits seem to suggest otherwise. As the literature in the psychology of argumentation incessantly emphasises, we hardly change our minds (and the minds of others) because a predisposed robust confirmation bias (or myside bias) is at work every time we argue, among other persistent cognitive illusions (Pohl, 2012), heuristics and biases (Santibáñez, 2017). In order to adequately answer the question of how argumentation changes minds this talk frames the problem in an evolutionary perspective. My evolutionary account of argumentative competence (Santibáñez, 2012, 2015) has a strong social emphasis, and this means that in order to see in which ways arguing changes minds, we need to clarify the proper function of it (Millikan, 1984, 1999). By distinguishing the proper function and then the derived functions of this competence, we not only get a more realistic picture of this wonderful human ability, but, more importantly, a properly collectivist one.

Crises cause and trigger fear, panic, uncertainty, and helplessness (e.g., Bauman 2006; Koselleck 1973). Crises polarize. Dealing with great uncertainty therefore challenges everyone involved; everyone expects instructions, planning, explanations and ultimately security, i.e., adequate crisis communication and crisis management. (Flinders et al. 2021; Rheindorf & Wodak 2018). In this lecture, I will discuss some salient legitimation strategies linked to a range of argumentation schemes, in respect to recently proposed European migration and asylum policies while analyzing speeches of, and interviews with, politicians and the subsequent media reporting. It seems as if disinformation is dominating and appeals to common-sense (“the arrogance of ignorance” @ Wodak 2021a) and to negative emotions are overriding fact-based reasoning.

We have asked hotels in Windsor to keep rooms available for the conference. You can book them as described. Please note that these rooms are only being held at these rates until April 22, 2024.

To book yourself a room in our Alumni Hall for the duration of the conference, please contact confserv@uwindsor.ca and mention that you are attending the OSSA conference. Or you may call at 1-519-253-3000 with extensions for either Niklas (x 3277) or Rana (x 3276) in conference services to make your reservations for your OSSA stay.

** We understand that the problems with booking in Alumni Hall have been resolved. Please feel free to book your stay in these accommodations. **

The prices for a single suite vary with the number of people in the room and are as follows:

1 Suite with

• Single Occupancy $125 + applicable taxes
• Double Occupancy $159 + applicable taxes
• Triple Occupancy $169 + applicable taxes
• Quad Occupancy $179 + applicable taxes

Address: 1840 Huron Church Road, WIndsor, ON. N9C 2L5

We have 30 rooms reserved.

Booking Link:  https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=YQGCNHX&groupCode=CHHARG&arrivaldate=2024-05-20&departuredate=2024-05-27&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

If the delegates prefer to call us directly, our direct phone number is 519-972-0770 and they can refer to group code ARG.

• check in time is 3pm, check out time is 11am

Address: 333 Riverside Drive West, Windsor, ON. N9A 7C5

20 rooms have been set aside and guests can begin making reservations. They can either call our front desk directly at 519-977-9777 to reserve a room by mentioning the Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation or code 900 or book online by using the following link: Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation Guests may need to click “Special Rate” and enter “900” under the Group Code to populate the correct rates. If any guests wish to extend their stay past the two nights, please direct them to me and I will be happy to assist.

• Please ensure guests make reservations by April 22th 2024 to ensure availability and group rate
• Check in time 4:00 pm, check out time 12:00 pm
• Breakfast not included – River Room Restaurant on second floor
• Privately owned parking garage located behind hotel on Pitt Street. $20/day with in and out access available for purchase at front desk
• Indoor pool & fitness center
• Quiet time on guest floors 10:00 pm