The combined pursuit of reasonableness and effectiveness

Next to the reasonableness dimension, argumentative discourse also has an effectiveness dimension. In argumentative discourse aimed at resolving a difference on the merits, reasonableness is a necessary condition for legitimate effectiveness. Effectiveness through reasonableness leads to convincingness – the rational, reason-based version of persuasiveness. The Argumentative Predicament of argumentative discourse is that pursuing effectiveness and maintaining reasonableness always need to be combined. Arguers try to overcome this fundamental challenge by means of strategic maneuvering aimed at preserving the balance between simultaneously pursuing the two goals. Strategic maneuvering takes place in all argumentative moves that are made in all four stages of the argumentative process. In argumentative discourse, strategic maneuvering manifests itself in three aspects that can be analytically distinguished: making choices from the topical potential of argumentative moves to choose from, adapting to audience demand in the case concerned, and exploiting the repertoire of presentational devices. To increase the possibilities of convincing, strategic maneuvers in which argumentative moves are made are often combined into an argumentative strategy. In some cases, such argumentative strategies are limited to a particular stage of the argumentative process. But there are also argumentative strategies in which the same strategic design is employed throughout the argumentative discourse.