Naturally occurring argument

Abstract

A methodological commitment to studying argumentation as it occurs naturally is important because it can challenge what we imagine argument to be. Whether studying the role of argument in ordinary conversational interaction or in large-scale public controversies, close attention to what people actually do when arguing leads in directions different from those based on idealized views of argument. As the practice of argument changes in response to new communication technologies, the importance of studying argument as it actually occurs is becoming even more important.