Overview

This book is an analysis of the distinctive form of reasoning, called practical reasoning by Aristotle (as opposed to theoretical reasoning), that serves to guide behaviour. It is a contribution to the literature on practical reasoning and indirectly on its application to action theory. The concept of goal-directed (telelogical) reasoning is central to two fields - artificial intelligence and argumentation. The book brings the two fields together to provide the analysis of their central, common underlying concept of goal-directed practical reasoning. ""Practical Reasoning"" may be of interest to specialists and graduate students in the field as well as to students in biology, computer science, psychology and philosophy.

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9780847676057

Table of Contents

Reviews

His discussion is consistently well informed and informative. This book can well be recommended for both specialists and for the less initiated. In a nutshell, Walton's book is a timely work on practical reasoning... -- Raimo Tuomela, University of Helsinki, THEORIA Scrupulously researched and clearly written, ^RPractical Reasoning^I presents, elaborates, and refines a theory of practical reasoning in a manner that makes it inviting for both professional and classroom use. The use of Prolog and recent work in AI is especially welcome. -- Michael J. Wreen, Marquette University In ^RPractical Reasoning^I, Professor Douglas Walton, thorough as always, provides an excellent integration of insights ranging from Artificial Intelligence, Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis to Argumentation Theory. Not only is all the relevant literature discussed in depth, but also a promising new theory of practical reasoning is presented. The results are both theoretically significant and practically important for fellow experts as well as being easily accessible due to the clarity of Walton's exposition. -- Frans H. van Eemeren and Rob Grootendorst, University of Amsterdam The philosophy of action is an important discipline, and Walton's book is a timely addition to a rapidly expanding literature. Walton is a scholar with a keen understanding of the issues involved. What I particularly admire is the way he anchors theory in practice: he is strong on detail. His case-studies, interesting in their own right, are carefully chosen and beautifully worked out. -- Krister Segerberg, The University of Auckland ...clearly and simply written. Though diverse technical literature is exploited, little formal background is required of readers. Ethics The treatment of topics and style of writing are clear throughout...the book is a good contribution to the subject of practical reasoning. CHOICE

Author Information

Douglas N. Walton is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Winnipeg.

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