Chaim Perelman and Lucie Olbrechts – Tyteca

Chain Perelman and Olbrechts Tyteca have given useful insights on the theory of argumentation. Perelman and Tyteca’s focus is on Rhetoric. Both focus on the ancient rhetoric, which was the art of Public speaking – Oratory and the new rhetoric which displays arguments in the written form.

Among the ancients, rhetoric appeared as the study of a technique for use by the common man impatient to arrive rapidly at conclusions, or to form an opinion, without first of all taking the trouble of a preliminary serious investigation (Perelman & Tyteca ).Therefore, ancient rhetoric was impromptu and the speaker did not get a chance to do a thorough investigation before his speech.

Perelman and Tyteca believe that the Philosophical arguments which are traditionally considered to be the most “rational” for the reason that they are supposed to be addressed to readers upon whom suggestion, pressure or self interest have little effect. (Perelman and Tyteca : 9).

Perelman and Tyteca further dwell on the techniques of argumentation which can be used from a family table to sessions in parliament. According to their article, if arguments are not impulsive, if they are not to be necessarily convincing, but only possessed a certain force, which may moreover, vary with audience (Perelman and Tyteca : 9).

For example, when considering the modern age , rhetoric has reached its full potential. There are arguments put forward by advertisers in newspapers, politicians in speeches, lawyers in pleadings, judges in decisions and philosophers in treatises (Perelman and Tyteca: 10).

Therefore, all language is the language of community, be this a community bound by biological ties or by the practice of a common disciple or technique. (Perelman and Tyteca :513). For example , the language of court has its own terms – jargons, newspaper advertising has its own rhetorical effect and the same could be said of political speeches and philosophers who are trying to put their arguments across by the means of rhetoric.

Thus, Perelman and Tyteca are conveying the idea that there has been a serious transition from ancient to modern rhetoric. Ancient rhetoric was in the form of oratory while the New Rhetoric has become categorized and have their own specific language , terms and purposes.

I believe that Chaim Perelman and Lucie Olbrechts – Tyteca are appreciative of the New Rhetoric which has given argumentation its form and purpose. By form, I consider, arguments put forward by newspapers, politicians, lawyers, philosophers and so forth.