Argumentation Theory and the Rhetoric of Assent

A collection of essays focusing on the question when, if ever, assent to a proposition is justified. From a variety of perspectives, the contributors seek an alternative to the dissensus bred by scepticism and the consensus bred by faithful adherence to dogma.

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Argumentation Theory and the Rhetoric of Assent is a collection of contemporary essays that addresses the general question of when, if ever, assent to a proposition is justified"", aiming to break new ground in the modern study of argumentation theory and practice. Following the lead of Wayne Booth in ""Modern Dogma and the Rhetoric of Assent"", the authors in this collection seek in argumentation theory an alternative to the dissensus bred by skepticsm and the consensus bred by faithful adherence to dogma. While they all address the central problematic of assent, they do so from a variety of perspectives, traversing much of the field of argumentation studies. In their considerations of the general question, many essays move inexorably toward considerations of power.