Debate Dynamics: How Controversy Improves Our Beliefs

Gregor Betz is a Junior professor in Philosophy of Science at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. With a background in philosophy, mathematics and political sciences, he has held positions at Universität Stuttgart and Freie Universität Berlin. His research interests span philosophy of science, argumentation theory, applied ethics and the interpretation of classic philosophers.

• 1. General Introduction.- 2. Theory of Dialectical Structures.- Part I: Why Do We Agree? On the Consensus-conduciveness of Controversial Argumentation.- 3. Introduction to Part I.- 4. Random Debates.- 5. Background Knowledge.- 6. Four Argumentation Strategies.- 7. Argumentation Strategies in Many-proponent Debates.- 8. Core Updating.- 9. Core Argumentation.- Part II: How Do We Know? On the Truth-conduciveness of Controversial Argumentation.- 10. Introduction to Part II.- 11. Random Debates.- 12. Background Knowledge.- 13. Four Argumentation Strategies.- 14. Argumentation Strategies in Many-proponent Debates.- 15. Core Updating.- 16. Core Argumentation.- Symbols.- References.- Index.