Argumentation and Rhetoric
Code
711011041
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Ciências da Comunicação
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
António Marques, Nuno Carlos Venturinha
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) Have an adequate understanding of rhetoric as the study of rational and argumentative methods of persuasion.
b. Have an adequate understanding of the historical genesis of rhetoric as a discipline with specific methods and techniques aiming the persuasion.
c. To possess adequate knowledge of the most relevant contemporary interpretations of the status and function of rhetoric.
d. Be able to define the concept of argument as formal valid deduction from given premises and some of his main formal figures (e.g., modus ponens, modus tollens).
e. Be able to evaluate from a critical point of view the formal conception of the argumentative reasoning, its empirical and contextual limits.
f. Understand and identify failures of reasoning through the study of some more frequent fallacies.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
Intro: Conditions of possibility of Rhetoric
1. Rhetoric as persuasive communication
2. Rhetoric and dialectic
3. The Aristotelian rhetoric
4. Relevant aspects of Perelmans New Rhetoric: audience, beliefs, emotions and lógos
5.The uses of arguments: D. Toulmin
6. Argumentation theory: tipology of arguments, argumentation schemes and falacies.
Bibliography
ARISTOTELES, Retórica, IN-CM, 2005
PERELMAN, Chaïm, Lempire rhétorique. Rhétorique et argumentation, Vrin, 2002. Trad. portuguesa: O Império Retórico, Asa, 1993
TOULMIN, Stephen, The Uses of Argument. CUP, 2003. Trad. portuguesa: Os Usos do Argumento, Martins Fontes, 2001
Teaching method
Theoretical exposition (60%) of the contents by the teacher and realization, in practical classes, either of exercises or oral presentations of group work (40%). Each group must do written essay, on a subject previously submitted to the teacher for his acceptance.
Evaluation method
Each student must be evaluated by a written element presencial (a test or exam), concerning the whole contents (60%), and by the oral presentations of group work (40%).