The pragmatic force of making reasons apparent

Goodwin Pragmatic ForceGoodwin, J., & Innocenti, B. (2016). The Pragmatic Force of Making Reasons Apparent. InD. Mohammed & M. Lewinski (Eds.), Argumentation and Reasoned Action (Vol. 2, pp. 449–462). College Publications.

Making arguments makes reasons apparent. Sometimes those reasons may affect audiences. But over-emphasis on effects distracts from other things that making arguments accomplishes and thus fails to account for its pragmatic force. We advance the normative pragmatic program on argumentation through case studies of how early advocates for women’s suffrage in the US made arguments to demonstrate that they were persons capable of making reasons apparent and that their actions were reasonable.

Get this paper.