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A Rhetorical Model of Debating

  • Stephen M. Llano

A rhetorical model of the debate centered on the image of a labyrinth is more suitable than the metaphor of debate-as-game in describing the benefits of arguing in front of an audience. The labyrinth best expresses that proceeding by successive choices, coming and going, and sometimes retracing one's steps, typical of the debate activity. The basic thesis is that arguing is a continuous adaptation of one's speeches according to the audience that listens. In fact, in the labyrinth, what matters is not only arriving at the outcome - the exit or reaching the center of the structure - but the path you choose to get there is equally important. More than the definitive and winning argument, which rarely occurs in discussions, the labyrinth teaches us to recognise the plurality of approaches adopted when faced with an issue.

  • Keywords:
  • Argumentation Theory,
  • debate,
  • rhetoric,
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Stephen M. Llano

St. John’s University, United States

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  • Publication Year: 2021
  • Pages: 43-54
  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
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  • Publication Year: 2021
  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
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Chapter Information

Chapter Title

A Rhetorical Model of Debating

Authors

Stephen M. Llano

Language

English

DOI

10.36253/978-88-5518-329-1.05

Peer Reviewed

Publication Year

2021

Copyright Information

© 2021 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Bibliographic Information

Book Title

Competing, cooperating, deciding: towards a model of deliberative debate

Editors

Adelino Cattani, Bruno Mastroianni

Peer Reviewed

Number of Pages

168

Publication Year

2021

Copyright Information

© 2021 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Publisher Name

Firenze University Press

DOI

10.36253/978-88-5518-329-1

ISBN Print

978-88-5518-328-4

eISBN (pdf)

978-88-5518-329-1

Series Title

Communication and Philosophical Cultures. Researches and Instruments

Series ISSN

2975-1152

Series E-ISSN

2975-1233

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