Debate as a practice through the prism of the discursive approach

english

2007

volume 18, issue 1/2

Slovensko društvo raziskovalcev šolskega polja
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

The core idea of the paper originates from the theoretical inspiration of Charland's article "Rehabilitating Rhetoric; Confronting Blindspots in Discourse and Social Theory" and a genuine personal interest in the emancipatory potential of formal debate in social life. Theoretical challenge of this paper is in summation of literature and the main ideas which propose interrogation of rhetorical theory and discourse theory. Both theoretical communities challenge the connection of text and power but through different methods and differing fundamental questions regarding the source of the power deriving from its connection with the text. Rhetorical theory seeks answers inarguments whose power does not derive strictly from reason (logos) but is also partially based in authority (ethos) and emotion (pathos). The interest of the theory is primarily in the praxis which closes interpretative options for the examination of social power through more than this lens. The text remains the sole barer of interpretative options. On the other hand critical theory opens up a new avenue for exploring potential possibilities not only ofdeconstruction but also of forming and legitimizing new approaches to argumentative options in formal debating. Examples will follow from experienceacquired in years of debating and will provide for application of the 'theoretical challenge'.

06.10.2022