Functionalism, Normativity and the Concept of Argumentation

Abstract

In her 2007 paper, “Argument Has No Function” Jean Goodwin takes exception with what she calls the “explicit function claims”, arguing that not only are function-based accounts of argumentation insufficiently motivated, but they fail to ground claims to normativity. In this paper I stake out the beginnings of a functionalist answer to Goodwin.

Keywords

• functionalism
• normativity
• social goods
• rational doxastic coordination
• Goodwin