De las posesiones materiales a las posiciones argumentativas

Abstract

This article addresses two basic questions: 1) Why do humans engage in argumentation? 2) Why are certain argumentative schemes more compelling than others? We answer these questions through a narrative that illustrates how, in the history of human societies as well as in the psychological development of individuals, human beings learn to use argumentative discourse as a tool of mediation in order to avoid fighting for the goods under dispute. People use arguments to defend their rights and their property, which always involves taking a stand against certain interlocutors. Arguments are convincing insofar as they embody a sense of justice, i.e. they strike a fair balance between the conflicting parties.

Keywords: Argumentation, Chaim Perelman, equilibration, Juan Samaja, ownership, reciprocity, rule of justice, social pact.