The Notion of an Ideal Audience in Legal Argument

1. Introduction.- 2. The Notion of an Ideal Audience as an Analytical Tool.- A. A General Philosophical Example—Illuminating the Power of Rhetoric.- B. An Example from Legal Theory—Is a Predictive Theory of Law Logically Possible?.- 3. What Are the Constraints that Can Be Imposed on Arguments Addressed to an Ideal Audience?.- 4. Some Universal Features of Ideal Audiences in Legal Contexts.- 5. Different Conceptions of the Ideal Audience—A First Look.- 6. Accounting for Differences in Perceptions of the Ideal Audience—Some Preliminary Observations.- A. Competing Visions of the Way the State Should Be Organized.- B. Conflicting Views as to the Purpose of the State.- 7. Choosing Between Competing Visions of the Good—the Case of Necessity.- A. The Need to Choose.- B. Choosing to Sacrifice the Property of Others.- C. Sacrificing the Life of an Innocent Person to Save the Lives of a Greater Number of Innocent Persons.- 8. The Conflict Between the General and the Particular—Some Legal Background.- A. Some Historical Background and Examples.- B. The Scope of the Modern Tort of Negligence.- 9. The Conflict Between the General and the Particular—Theoretical Perspectives.- A. The Case for General Principles Put Forth by Dworkin.- B. Additional Factors Prompting the Search for General Principles.- C. Counter-Arguments.- 10. Ambivalent Attitudes with Regard to Discretion.- A. Introduction.- B. An Analytical Framework.- C. The Irresistible Urge to Narrow the Scope of Discretion.- D. Structural and Ideological Factors Behind the Urge to Broaden the Scope of Discretion.- 11. Toleration of Diverse and Even Inconsistent Outcomes.- 12. Conclusion.- Cases Cited.