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Article published In:
Environmental Argumentation
Edited by Marcin Lewiński and Mehmet Ali Üzelgün
[Journal of Argumentation in Context 8:1] 2019
► pp. 40–64

Sophistical refutations in the climate change debates

| North Carolina State University

A case study of a short televised debate between a climate scientist and an advocate for climate skepticism provides the basis for developing a contemporary conception of sophistry. The sophist has a high degree of argumentative content knowledge – knowledge of a domain selected and structured in ways that are most germane for its use in making arguments. The sophist also makes the deliberate choice to argue for a disreputable view, one that goes against the views of the majority, or of the experts. Sophistry, drawing as it does on argumentative skill, is difficult to manage. The best approach is likely to refuse debate; but if debate is unavoidable, then the sophist must be met with equal skill. It will be hard to develop such skill, however, as long as the sophist’s view is thought to be disreputable.

Keywords: argumentation, argument, sophistry, climate communication, science communication, climate skepticism, fallacies, argumentative content knowledge, scientific consensus
Article outline
  • 1.Starting points
    • 1.1Scene and dramatis personae
    • 1.2Dénouement
  • 2.Maslin v. Morano
    • 2.1Morano frames the issue – and Maslin accepts
    • 2.2Morano refutes his adversary
    • 2.3Morano provides support
    • 2.4Morano maintains composure
  • 3.Sophistry: A conception
    • 3.1The sophist’s capacity
    • 3.2The sophist’s deliberate choice
    • 3.3Managing the sophist
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 14 February 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jaic.18008.goo
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