摘要：The practice of argumentation is ubiquitous,both in everyday life and, under more rigorous control,one hopes,in the sphere of academic research and debate. It is natural,therefore,that,since its influence spreads in many directions,it can itself be investigated from many angles and approached by many routes. Arguments can be considered from the perspective of discourse studies,dialectic and pragmatics;their language can be examined by linguists and rhetoricians;their motives and effects by psychology,political science and even the ever-creative practitioners of marketing and advertising. All of these approaches are of value,and it is the multi-faceted nature of the modern field of Argumentation which makes it so relevant,so dynamic, and so fascinating.
