Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.22210/govor.2019.36.02

More artful methods: Techniques of narrative in argumentation

Christopher Tindale orcid.org/0000-0002-2820-1416 ; Centre for Research in Reasoning, Argumentation, and Rhetoric, University of Windsor

Abstract

The title, and inspiration, for this talk is drawn from a confession of Daniel Dennett at the start of one of his books, in which he writes that in order to get people to think seriously about ideas he cannot use formal argument, because people will not be swayed by that. He has to use "more artful methods"; he has to "tell a story." The contrast between formal argument and story as methods of persuasion is suggestive and worth exploring. But in shifting attention on to the narrative as Dennett does, some interesting questions are encouraged: What is the persuasive nature of narrative? And how do narratives address audiences argumentatively? To provide responses to these questions, I take up some cases of narratives that have been used to persuasive effect. I then place these analyses within a larger project that has been occupying me: describing the nature and power of the cognitive environments in which we interact. This in turn allows me to discuss various devices with both narrative and argumentative import, like allusions and memes, the second of which was adopted by Dennett.

Keywords

argumentation; cognitive environments; narratives; stories

Hrčak ID:

231489

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/231489

Publication date:

20.12.2019.

Visits: 1.150 *