How Philosophers Argue: An Adversarial Collaboration on the Russell--Copleston Debate

This book presents a double argumentative analysis of the debate between Bertrand Russell and Frederick Copleston on the existence of God, using the ideal model of critical discussion and argument dialectic. It highlights the questions raised over and beyond the presiding question and examines almost a hundred questions that are raised. It also addresses the complementarity of the two approaches.

Format: Hardback
Length: 472 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive volume delves into a double argumentative analysis of the profound debate between Bertrand Russell and Frederick Copleston, exploring the existence of God. It begins with an introduction that justifies the selection of this particular text and provides a comprehensive historical and philosophical background of the debate. Additionally, a transcript of the debate, based on the original recording, is included, offering a firsthand account of the intellectual exchange between the two renowned thinkers.

The argumentative analyses are presented in Parts I and II of the book. In Part I, the argumentative process is examined through the lens of the ideal model of critical discussion, a cornerstone of pragma-dialectics. This part showcases how the two parties navigate through the four stages of a critical discussion, delving into questions that extend beyond the central question of God's existence. It explores nearly a hundred diverse questions, some of which remain unresolved, while others give rise to sub-discussions or meta-dialogues.

Part II takes the theoretical framework of argument dialectic to the next level. It identifies argument structures through the use of punctuation marks, argumentative connectors, and operators, allowing for a visual representation of the argumentative exchange as the collaborative construction of a macro-argument. This macro-argument represents a joint product of the arguers and a complex structure that encapsulates the dialectical relationships between the individual arguments combined within it.

To conclude, this book can be characterized as an exercise in adversarial collaboration. It presents a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of the debate between Russell and Copleston, offering insights into the philosophical, historical, and argumentative dimensions of the topic. Through its double argumentative analysis, it provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing discourse on the existence of God and sheds light on the complexities of this profound philosophical inquiry.

Weight: 870g
Dimension: 163 x 240 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030853679
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022