The goal of this article is to explore the ways in which logic can contribute to study of rational argumentation. Basic concepts of valid, sound and rational argument are introduced. The concept of logical entailment is presented and its fundamental properties, i.e., necessity and formality, are explained. It is argued that these are essential properties of the entailment relation in all modern logical systems. It is mentioned that conclusions of most every day’s arguments are not entailed by their premises. This objection against identifying rational arguments with sound ones is even strengthened by presenting defeasible arguments, which cannot even be turned into valid ones with true premises by adding additional premises. Systems for describing defeasible argumentation are mentioned, but it is argued that they are neither formal logical system in the discussed sense, nor they can provide exhaustive description of rational argumentation. Such an exhaustive account is impossible and defeasible logics merely present a partial tool for bridging formal and informal logic and theirs accounts of argumentation.
I characterize informal logic and argumentation theory as disciplines consisting of a great variety of research ideas, approaches, conceptual frameworks, and methods which allow to inquire into the complicated phenomenon of argumentation. Yet, the argumentative discourse constitutes a key subject of inquiry for disciplines which deal with various forms of language and reasoning. Among those disciplines there are: formal logic, semiotics, methodology of science and informatics. The articles included in this volume support the thesis that various approaches in the study of argumentation, despite of differences in methods of inquiry, try to realize a common research goal: elaborating tools, in particular (1) language and (2) methods, for analyzing and evaluating common-sense reasoning performed in an argumentative discourse. After discussing the content of the present volume I make some remarks on popularizing informal logic and argumentation theory in Poland.
In this paper, I undertake to present clearly just what informal logic ('logika nieformalna') is and how it relates to formal logic, and to logic as such. To do that, I start by explaining how the Informal Logic Initiative (ILI) began in North America in the 70s. That will lead to a discussion of what is meant by 'informal logic' and how it stands related to cognates such as formal logic, critical thinking, and argumentation. In Section 3, I discuss what I take to be basic theses about argumentation that have emerged from the informal logic perspective. In Section 4, I discuss some achievements of informal logic, and in Section 5, I discuss several interesting recent developments and in Section 6, I discuss the possible future developments. I conclude with some remarks on the importance of the Informal Logic Initiative in Section 7.
This article examines the relation between informal logic and logic. Informal logic originated with the rejection of formal logic in the analysis and evaluation of natural language discursive arguments. Various alternatives are mentioned: fallacy theory; acceptability, relevance and sufficiency; and argument scheme theory. The last is described at some length as involving warrants, schemes, and critical questions. Argument scheme analysis and critique, while informal, has been used in AI to develop computer programs to analyze, assess and even construct arguments in natural language. Thus informal and formal logic have come together.
Argumentation theory, as a subdiscipline of philosophy, concentrates on the human expression of reasoning. It is an ancient area of research which has been enjoying a renaissance over the past thirty years or so with the development of two distinct theoretical branches: informal logic and pragma-dialectics. Both of these areas have influenced the development of mathematical and computational models of arguments that since the mid 90's has seen an explosion in research interest and output: with the area currently supporting two annual workshop series, a biennial conference series, a slew of journal special issues and, from 2010, its own dedicated journal. The links between the philosophical and formal ends of argumentation research, however, have been relatively sparse and ad hoc. This paper aims to build a bridge between the two areas that supports a more rigorous and extensive exchange of ideas and results to the benefit of both fields.
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