Apocalyptic argumentation
Trump and ISIS
Our time is an apocalyptic time, but the argumentation in this
apocalyptic time has hardly been studied by scholars of argumentation. This
article shows how both Donald Trump and the jihadist warriors of ISIS appeal to
an apocalyptic worldview in their argumentation. The three topos of evil, time
and authority from Stephen O’Leary’s Arguing the Apocalypse are
used in the analysis. Both Trump supporters and jihadist warriors see themselves
as fighting for God and their enemies as representing evil forces. For scholars
of argumentation the role of arguments woven into narratives that become whole
worldviews needs to be studied more thoroughly.
Article outline
- 1.Rhetorical argumentation
- 2.Apocalyptic
- 3.Apocalyptic argumentation
- 4.Apocalyptic argumentation in the Trump campaign
- 5.Apocalyptic argumentation by ISIS
- Conclusions
- Notes
-
References