The Context of Argumentation

Abstract

The ‘context of argumentation’ is concerned with the way in which different modes of argument may be utilized to promote specific types of policy. This aspect of justification encompasses the three main forms of moral argument, namely consequentialism, deontology and virtue theory. From a philosophical perspective, each of these approaches claims to offer an exhaustive account of our moral judgements. However, the purpose of this chapter is to examine the use of moral language within the political arena, where such arguments have currency regardless of whether they give an adequate description of moral justification. Thus, the first section provides the standard definitions of consequentialism, deontology and virtue theory that moral philosophers would accept, while the following three sections draw on the work of Barry, Dworkin and MacIntyre to explore how each theory may be employed in actual political argument.