Frans van Eemeren

Frans van Eemeren is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Speech Communication, Argumentation Theory and Rhetoric at the University of Amsterdam. He is Guest Professor at Leiden University.

His research interests include argumentation theory and rhetorical and dialectical analysis of argumentative discourse.

Together with Rob Grootendorst (1944-2000), Frans van Eemeren is the auctor intellectualis of the influential pragma-dialectical approach to argumentation. The pragma-dialectical theory systematically combines normative insights from philosophical dialectics and dialogue logic with pragmatic insights fromspeech acttheory, Gricean theory, and discourse analysis and is applied in the analysis, evaluation and production of oral and written argumentative discourse. The theory incorporates the notion of an ideal model for critical discussion, with 10 procedural rules governing the process of resolving a difference of opinion on the merits. Each violation of a discussion rule means that a fallacy has been committed which hinders the possibility of the difference of opinion being resolved in a reasonable manner.

In the last decade, Frans van Eemeren has worked together with Peter Houtlosser (1956-2008) on the development of a fruitful theoretical approach to the "argumentative predicament" in argumentative discourse of pursuing both the aims of remaining reasonable and resolving a difference of opinion in one's own favour at the same time. This research project centers around   the notion of strategic maneuvering, pertaining to thewayin which a discussant maneuvers between dialectical and rhetorical requirements.

In 2010 he published the monograph Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse, which proposes an integration of rhetorical insights in the pragma-dialectical method for reconstructing and evaluating argumentative discourse.

Van Eemeren is (co-)author of some fifty book publications along with a large number of articles and book chapters. Among his key publications are Speech Acts in Argumentative Discussions (1984), Argumentation,Communication, and Fallacies (1992), Reconstructing Argumentative Discourse (1993), Fundamentals of Argumentation Theory (1996), A Systematic Theory of Argumentation (2004), and Argumentative Indicators in Discourse (2007), and Fallacies and Judgments of Reasonableness (2009). Publications of Frans van Eemeren have been translated into Albanian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Dutch, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

The RMA program 'Rhetoric, Argumentation theory and Philosophy' at the University of Amsterdam has been developed by Frans van Eemeren together with other members of the department of Speech Communication, Argumentation Theory and Rhetoric to provide a solid background in argumentation theory and its foundations for both national and international students interested in doing research. S tudents from both the Netherlands and other countries all over the world are instructed on various subjects such as argumentation theory, speech act theory, the philosophy of language, fallacies, empirical research methods and logic. The program is held in very high esteem both nationally and internationally and has led to successful PhD applications for almost all of its graduates.

Frans vanEemeren is a Distinguished Scholar of the National CommunicationAssociation of the United States, Fulbright Professor, recipient of various research awards, chairman of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation (ISSA), and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Argumentation , Springer's Argumentation Library, and John Benjamins' book series Argumentation in Context.

A complete publication list of Frans van Eemeren is available upon request.

Journals

Knighthood in the Order of the Dutch Lion

Awarded 28 June, 2013 at the Amsterdam City Hall by the Mayor of Amsterdam, Mr. Eberhart van der Laan, on behalf of King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands

Frans van Eemeren presented his valediction speech 'In reasonableness' on the occasion of his retirement as Chair of the Department of Speech Communication, Argumentation Theory and Rhetoric of the University of Amsterdam in the Lutheran Church on May 13, 2011.

Farewell Colloquium with festschrift

Contributors to 'Considering Pragma-Dialectics' (Festschrift edited by Eveline Feteris, Bart Garssen, and Francisca Snoeck Henkemans) offered to van Eemeren by his colleagues at the Frans van Eemeren Argumentation Conference at Doelenzaal,University of Amsterdam, May 12, 2011.

From left to right:

Sara Rubinelli, Bart Garssen, Jean Wagemans, Constanza Ihnen Jory, Yvon Tonnard, Bilal Amjarso, Francisca Snoeck Henkemans, Jan Albert van Laar, Roosmaryn Pilgram, Lotte van Poppel, Jose Plug, Frans van Eemeren, Eveline Feteris, David Zarefsky, Dima Mohammed, Bert Meuffels, Peter Schulz, Agnes van Rees, Marcin Lewinski, Corina Andone, Daniel O'Keefe, Anca Gata, Ton van Haaften, Erik Krabbe

Honorary Degree Universita della Svizzera italiana

17 April 2010

Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse. Extending the Pragma-Dialectical Theory of Argumentation

In Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse , Frans H. van Eemeren brings together the dialectical and the rhetorical dimensions of argumentation by introducing the concept of strategic maneuvering. Strategic maneuveringrefers to the arguer's continual eff orts to reconcile aiming for eff ectiveness with being reasonable. It takes place in all stages of argumentative discourse and manifests itself simultaneously in the choices that are made from the topical potential available at a particular stage, in adaptation to audience demand, and in the use of specifi c presentational devices. Strategic maneuvering derails when in the specifi c context in which the discourse takes place a rule for critical discussion has been violated, so that a fallacy has been committed. Van Eemeren makes clear that extending the pragma-dialectical approach to argumentation by taking account of strategic maneuveringleads toaricher and more precise method for analyzing and evaluating argumentative discourse.

Translated into Spanish; Chinese and Italian translation in preparation.

Fallacies and Judgments of Reasonableness, 2009

In Fallacies and Judgments of Reasonableness , Frans H. van Eemeren, Bart Garssen and Bert Meuffels report on their systematic empirical research of the conventional validity of the pragma-dialectical discussion rules. The experimental studies they carried out duringmore than ten years start from the pragma-dialectical theory of argumentation developed at the University of Amsterdam, their home university. In these studies they test methodically the intersubjective acceptability of the rules for critical discussion proposed in this theory by confronting ordinary arguers who have not received any special education in argumentation and fallacies with discussion fragments containing both fallacious and non-fallacious argumentative moves. The research covers a wide range of informal fallacies. In this way, the authors create a basis for comparing the theoretical reasonableness conception of pragma-dialectics with the norms for judging argumentative moves prevailing in argumentative practice. Fallacies and Judgments of Reasonableness provides a unique insight into the relationship between theoretical and practical conceptions of reasonableness, supported by extensive empirical material gained by means of sophisticatedexperimental research.

Argumentative Indicators in Discourse

Frans H. van Eemeren, Peter Houtlosser & A. Francisca Snoeck Henkemans (2007)

Argumentative Indicators: A Pragma-Dialectical Study identifies and analyses English words and expressions that are crucial for an adequate reconstruction of argumentative discourse. It provides the analyst of argumentative discussions and texts with a systematic set of instruments for giving a well-founded analysis which results in an analytic overview of the elements that are relevant for the evaluation of the argumentation. In the book a systematic connection is made between linguistic insights into the characteristics of argumentative discourse and insights from argumentation theory into the resolution of differences of opinion by means of argumentation.

A systematic theory of argumentation provides an overview of the standard theory of pragma-dialectics as it was developed by Frans van Eemeren and Rob Grootendorst. The monograph is translated into Bulgarian, Chinese, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

Two Festschrifts for Frans van Eemeren

De redelijkheid zelve. Tien pragma-dialectische opstellenvoor Frans van Eemeren

Bart Garssen and Francisca Snoeck Henkemans (ed.), Rozenberg Publishers, Amsterdam

In De redelijkheid zelve [reasonableness personified] ten essays are published that were written in honour of Frans van Eemeren, on the occasionof his sixtieth birthday. The authors are all actively engaged in research aimed at developing the pragma-dialectical theory of argumentation. The ten rules for critical discussion that are a vital part of this theory are the source of inspiration as well as the rationale of this collection. Most authors are former PhD students supervised by van Eemeren. They are now his colleagues either in the department of Speech Communication, Argumentation Theory at the University of Amsterdamor in other universities in The Netherlands.

Considering Pragma-Dialectics. A Festschrift for Frans H. van Eemeren on the Occasion of his 60 th Birthday

Peter Houtlosser and Agnès van Rees (ed.), Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, New Jersey

Besides the Festchrift devoted to the norms for reasonable argumentation written by his Dutch colleagues, his international colleagues presented Frans van Eemeren with another Festschrift at the Sixth Conference of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation (ISSA), which was held in Amsterdam from June 27 to June 30, 2006, in Amsterdam. Considering Pragma-Dialectics contains essays discussing the pragma-dialectical theory of argumentationthat were written by fellow argumentation theorists from ten different countries.The content of the 26 essays varies from philosophical and theoretical reflection on the pragma-dialectical theory of argumentation to empirical tests and applications of certain parts of this theory. The book is a Festschrift, but it is at the same time a must for all thosewhoare interested in the international reception of the pragma-dialectical theory.