Professional paper
The main features of the principle of charity in argumentative context
Petar Bodlović
orcid.org/0000-0001-8430-2599
; Centre for Croatian Studies, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Article aims to present a simple description of principle of charity (načelo milosrđa) used in a context of rational argumentation. It tries to evince which are the common ways to formulate this principle and which problems are associated with each formulation. Principle of charity - one of the fundamental methodological tools in critical discussion - finds its origin in philosophy of language. Therefore I find appropriate to use the explanation of the principle in the latter discipline as an main topic introduction. After short introduction the principle of charity will be placed in the context of argumentation. Firstly, few of the general definitions will be discussed, and then the focus will move to different levels of its use. Principle is initially used while estimating the discourse; it also plays significant role in diagramming, argument reconstruction and estimating inferential standard. Second part of the article tries to systematize some objections that principle of charity can be faced with. Some critiques are quiet general („idealism“ of the human rationality as a false assumption; „context“ as a term that doesn't explain anything), and some are closely linked with its appliance on the different levels and in concrete situations. These objections are mostly invented by experts, but some of them are results of author's critical intentions. Although the difference is, I'm afraid, evident itself, it has also been emphasised by citation.
Keywords
Informal logic; principle of charity; critical discussion; argument analysis; principle of humanity
Hrčak ID:
81056
URI
Publication date:
23.2.2012.
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