What’s argumentative dialogue?

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Argumentative dialogue is a type of verbal communication in which two or more individuals try to reach a consensus through debate. This type of dialogue can revolve around a specific topic or multiple topics. While typically passionate and spirited, argumentative dialogue is usually quite civil and often takes place in a structured environment with each participant adhering to a general set of rules.

Often considered a kind of verbal tennis match, participants in an argumentative dialogue take turns trading volleys and challenging opponents with facts and propositions to support their position. Typically, the game begins when an opponent serves a point or a proposition. The proposition is then challenged with a counterpoint, and in response, the original point is then modified or strengthened by further factual support. The debate continues until the participants reach a consensus, which may be agreement on the facts or an acknowledgment that both point and counterpoint are valid and agreement simply cannot be reached.

This particular type of dialogue is often used not only for persuasion but also for education. For example, a teacher might use this type of response to instruct her students and lead them to a particular conclusion. The teacher may ask the student for an opinion on a certain issue and then challenge that opinion, persuading the student to reexamine her opinions of hers until she reaches the correct conclusion. This method of teaching, often used at the college and university level, is sometimes referred to as the Socratic method after the famous philosopher Socrates, who often instructed his students using argumentative dialogue.

One of the most commonly recognized forums for argumentative dialogue is political debate. During a political debate, candidates express their views and opinions, which are then typically contested by their opponents. The debate, while often quite heated, is generally conducted in a civilized manner, with a moderator ensuring each candidate a limited amount of time to present their points and counterpoints. In this type of forum, the dialogue includes several key topics rather than one main issue. The goal in this type of argumentative dialogue is not to reach consensus, but rather to persuade voters to support one candidate or another.

In addition to education and persuasion, argumentative dialogue can also be a source of entertainment. For example, many schools have debate teams that host games during which individuals or teams engage in lively dialogue discussing a particular issue. The purpose of these contests is not only to hone skills that a student might want to use in a future career, but also to entertain and inform viewers as they watch the dynamic debate between the contestants.

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