Cover not available
Article published In:
Context-dependency of Argumentative Patterns
Edited by Frans H. van Eemeren
[Journal of Argumentation in Context 6:1] 2017
► pp. 27–43

The role of the argument by example in legislative debates of the European Parliament

| University of Amsterdam, ILIAS

This paper focuses on the role of the argument by example in the argumentation put forward by Members of the European Parliament. The argumentative patterns that come into being in legislative debates in the European Parliament depend for the most part on the problem-solving argumentation that is put forward in the opening speech by the rapporteur of the parliamentary committee report. Complex problem-solving argumentation consists of a premise stating that there is a problem (the problem statement) and a premise stating that the proposed legislation will solve the problem (the causal statement). In their contributions, MEPs who are in favor of the proposal will either defend the problem statement or the causal statement. This paper examines how an argument by example is used in order to defend the problem statement. The argument by example can be used to defend the existential presupposition as well as the normative presupposition in the problem-statement.

Keywords: argumentative pattern, argument scheme, argument by example, European Parliament, legislation, problem solving argumentation
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Prototypical argumentative patterns in the debates of the European Parliament
  • 3.The argument by example
  • 4.The use of the argument by example in debates of the European Parliament
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 6 April 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jaic.6.1.02gar
References
Copi, I. M.
(1982) Introduction to logic. New York/London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Eemeren, F. H. van
(2016) Identifying argumentative patterns. A vital step in the development of pragma-dialectics. Argumentation, 30(1), 1–23. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2017) Argumentative patterns viewed from a pragma-dialectical perspective. In F. H. van Eemeren (Ed.). Prototypical Argumentative Patterns. Exploring the Relationship between Argumentative Discourse and Institutional Context. Amsterdam: Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Eemeren, F. H. van, & Garssen, B.
(2010) In varietate concordia – United in diversity. European parliamentary debate as an argumentative activity type. Controversia, 7(1), 19–37.Google Scholar
(2014) Argumentation by analogy in stereotypical argumentative patterns. In H. Jales Ribeiro (Ed.), Systematic approaches to argument by analogy (pp. 41–56). Dordrecht: Springer.Google Scholar
Garssen. B. J.
(1997) Argumentatieschema’s in pragma-dialectisch perspectief. Een theoretisch en empirisch onderzoek [Argument schemes in a pragma-dialectical perspective. A theoretical and empirical study]. Doctoral dissertation University of Amsterdam. Amsterdam: IFOTT.Google Scholar
Garssen, B.
(2016) Problem-solving argumentative patterns in plenary debates of the European Parliament. Argumentation, 30(1), 25–43. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hastings, A. C.
(1962) A reformulation of the modes of reasoning in argumentation. Doctoral dissertation Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.Google Scholar
Jackson, S.
(1986) Building a case for claims about discourse structure. In: D. G. Ellis & W. A. Donohane (Eds.). Contemporary issues in language and discourse (pp. 129–147). Hillsdale: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Kruger, A. N.
(1960) Modern debate, its logic and strategy. New York etc.: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Perelman, Ch., & Olbrechts-Tyteca, L.
(1969) The new rhetoric. A treatise on argumentation. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.Google Scholar
Plug, H. J.
(2010) The strategic use of argumentation from example in plenary debates in the European Parliament. Controversia, 7 (1), 38–56.Google Scholar
Schellens, P. J.
(1985) Redelijke argumenten. Een onderzoek naar normen voor kritische lezers [Reasonable arguments. A study of norms for critical readers]. Dordrecht: Foris.Google Scholar
Cited by

Cited by 3 other publications

Lukianova, Ekaterina & Timothy Steffensmeier
2020. “Well, in the case of my mom…”. Journal of Argumentation in Context 9:3 ► pp. 315 ff. DOI logo
Svačinová, Iva
2021. Demosthenes’ strategic maneuvering in theFirst Olynthiac. Journal of Argumentation in Context 10:3 ► pp. 315 ff. DOI logo
van Eemeren, Frans H.
2017. Chapter 10. The dependency of argumentative patterns on the institutional context. In Prototypical Argumentative Patterns [Argumentation in Context, 11], ► pp. 157 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 1 april 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.