237488

(2000) Synthese 123 (3).

The place of dialogue theory in logic, computer science and communication studies

Douglas N. Walton

pp. 327-346

Dialogue theory, although it has ancient roots, was put forward in the 1970s in logic as astructure that can be useful for helping to evaluate argumentation and informal fallacies.Recently, however, it has been taken up as a broader subject of investigation in computerscience. This paper surveys both the historical and philosophical background of dialoguetheory and the latest research initiatives on dialogue theory in computer science. The main components of dialogue theory are briefly explained. Included is a classification of the main types of dialogue that, it is argued, should provide the central focus for studying many important dialogue contexts in specific cases. Following these three surveys, a concluding prediction is made about the direction dialogue theory is likely to take in the next century, especially in relation to the growing field of communication studies.

Publication details

DOI: 10.1023/A:1005237527730

Full citation:

Walton, D. N. (2000). The place of dialogue theory in logic, computer science and communication studies. Synthese 123 (3), pp. 327-346.

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