Chaim Perelman and Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca published La Nouvelle Rhétorique: Traité de l’Argumentation in 1958, a work that has since come to represent the revival of rhetoric and its reintegration with philosophy in the twentieth century. The influence of this work is felt in rhetoric, philosophy, jurisprudence, communication studies, critical theory, and the newer disciplines of argumentation and informal reasoning.
To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the appearance of this work, plans are underway to host an international conference on The New Rhetoric
*** Note: Please remember to register for the conference (see "Payment Options" tab) before May 1 for the on-line rate.
As well, the conference program has been updated (see "Conference Program" link).***
The conference opens with registration--located in the University of Oregon's EMU-Walnut Room--at 12 noon on Saturday, May 17.
For further information: contact promreas@uoregon.edu
Getting Around the University of Oregon campus
Conference Program
Payment Options ***Our online payments page is once again up-and-running.***
Proposal
Submission and Registration Website
Master Classes and Student Scholarships
Conference
Co-Sponsors
Travel and Lodging
Sight-Seeing Suggestions
Excursions
Perelman Biography
Conference Features and Speakers
Call for Papers
Conference Features and Speakers
Features of the Conference:
Featured speakers at the Promise of Reason Conference will include:
Welcome to the University of Oregon! Registration begins Saturday, May 17 at 12 noon in the Walnut Room of the EMU (Erb Memorial Union). In order to help you navigate your way to this first step, here are a couple of downloadable maps of the UO campus: Campus Map; and the EMU: EMU map. The people at the registration table will be more than happy to assist you in finding other locations on campus. Please also use the resources available to you at your hotel--the staff there will also know how to get around the UO.
For those who will be driving to campus, here is a map of parking available to guests: parking map.
Faculty and Graduate Students are invited to submit proposals for papers and panels for The Promise of Reason Conference commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Chaim Perelman and Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca’s La nouvelle rhétorique: Traité de l‘argumentation (1958).
Submissions are welcome dealing with any aspect of Perelman’s work and influence, or argumentation, informal reasoning, or modern rhetoric in general. Interdisciplinary work in rhetoric and/or argumentation theory is welcome. Of specific interest are proposals dealing with the following:
250 words abstracts and/or proposals may be sent electronically via the conference website: http://convention2.allacademic.com/one/perelman/perelman08 .
The conference program is still in rough draft form, but the panel placement and dates are set. Please click here for a Word document or here for a PDF. If you would like to make any changes to your name, affiliation, or paper title, we would appreciate an email to promreas@uoregon.edu as soon as possible. We will have a finalized paper copy for you upon your arrival in Eugene. Meanwhile, please visit the online program to see what an exciting conference this is shaping up to be!
Undergraduate Papers and Master Classes
Among the events scheduled as part of The Promise of Reason Conference, "Master Classes" for undergraduate and graduate students will be conducted by internationally prominent scholars in informal reasoning, rhetoric and ethics, and legal argumentation. Students will be chosen for these classes based on research writing they have done in any related discipline, on any related topic. In the Master Classes, scholars will respond to each student's writing and discuss the issues with students from the perspective of their expertise. Scholarships covering travel, food, lodging, and registration for the conference plus a
$200 honorarium will be offered to undergraduate and/or graduate students. Other students will also be selected for the Master Classes and encouraged to seek assistance from their institutions to attend the conference. Conference registration fees will be waived for these students.To be eligible for consideration for a scholarship, the following criteria must be met:
Students should have taken or be presently enrolled in a course in which they study and write about issues related to the conference topic.
These issues included but are not limited to:
--legal argument and justice --rhetoric and human rights --ethical rhetoric and communications
--informal reasoning --argumentation as a substitute for violence
--diplomacy and conflict resolution --rationality and reasonableness in international relations
--negotiated assent in public debate --opposition and cooperation is conflict situations
--argumentation across cultures --persuasion and leadership
Teachers of these courses may submit any number of these research papers for consideration, with a deadline of March 10th for submissions.
An application form must accompany each submission. Click here to download the application form.
Students will be notified in time for travel arrangements to be made.
To submit a student essay for this scholarship competition, go to the conference submission and registration website: http://convention2.allacademic.com/one/perelman/perelman08.
The Promise of Reason Conference Co-Sponsors
University of Oregon:
Office of the President
Northwest Christian College
To register online please follow this link:
http://millrace.uoregon.edu/english/perelman/reg_qpay001.cfm
On this page you will first fill out your personal
information and then you will be asked to choose a "registration" option
(faculty, graduate, undergraduate) which will charge you the fees associated
with that option (see below for rates) and a meals option (yes or no to paying
$50.00 extra for the banquet featuring Naomi Mattis Perelman as well as two
catered lunches). Once you have selected those options and pressed
"submit" you will be taken to a secure payment site linked to the University
of Oregon's secure server. Then, you will by able to pay be credit card.
Please contact promreas@uoregon.edu
if you have any problems with this option.
In order to register off line, please send a check or money order (in U.S. dollars) made payable to “University of Oregon/English Department” and on a separate piece of paper your name, address, affiliation, paper title (if applicable), phone number and email address to: Teresa Coronado, 1286 University of Oregon, English Department, Eugene, OR 97403 USA. Email acknowledgment and a receipt will be sent upon the arrival of your payment.
The conference registration fee includes the cost of an opening reception, the opening banquet featuring Noemi Mattis Perelman and catered lunches for two days of the conference.
Registration fees before April 17, 2008:
Faculty -- $185 ($135 without banquet and lunches)
Graduate Students -- $135 ($85 without banquet and lunches)
Undergraduate Students -- $125 ($75 without banquet and lunches)
Online registration will close on April 17, 2008. Registration can be made on-site with the changes in fees as follows:
Faculty -- $235 ($185 without banquet and lunches)
Graduate Students -- $185 ($135 without banquet and lunches)
Undergraduate Students -- $150 ($100 without banquet and lunches)
We are pleased to offer the following options for lodging while you are in Eugene. There is a variety of selections, from standard to unique, so please review the descriptions and visit the hotel websites for amenities and other details.
Note: This list is in no particular order and is not an exhaustive list of the many choices of lodgings that Eugene has to offer. Please feel free to stay in any location of your own choosing.
Holiday Inn Express/River Ranch
2117 Franklin Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97403
Hotel Front Desk: 1-541-3421243 | Hotel Fax:
1-541-3421246
We have reserved a block of rooms (20 suites, 10 King and 20 Queen) at the conference price of $109 per night. Please use the conference name, "Promise of Reason" to receive this discount. These rooms will be released April 20, so please reserve early. The Holiday Inn Express/River Ranch has an EMX (bus) stop right outside its doors, so transportation to campus and downtown Eugene is free and fast. This hotel is also within walking distance of campus. Visit their website at: www.hiexpress.com/eugeneoregon .
Phoenix Inn Suites—Eugene
850 Franklin Blvd.; Eugene, OR 97403 Phone: 541-344-0001 Fax: 541-686-1288
We have reserved 35 rooms (25 King and 10 Double Queen) for the conference. Please ask for “The Promise of Reason” discount code for the $109 price during the conference. These rooms will be released April 16, 2008, so please reserve early. The Phoenix Inn is within an easy walking distance from campus. Please visit their website at: http://phoenixinn.com/
Best Western Greentree Inn
| 1759 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, Oregon, 97403-1983, US |
| Phone: 541-485-2727 | Fax: 541-686-2094 |
We have reserved a block of rooms (10 single and 10 double) at the Best Western although have not yet confirmed the price at this location. Please continue to check here for rates at this particular hotel. For a description of the hotel and its amenities, please see: http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=38077
Valley River Inn
1000 Valley River Way, Eugene, Oregon, 97401 Phone: (800) 543-8266 Fax: (541) 687-0289
We have reserved 20 rooms at the Valley River Inn (Deluxe Suites) for the conference. The Valley River Inn is about three miles from campus, with an easy trip to the conference location, and is located along the Willamette River with easy access to the Valley River Center (mall), Eugene Rose Garden, Alton Baker Park, and a paved bicycle trail along the river. The cut-off date for these rates and rooms is April 17, 2008. Please ask for "The Promise of Reason" group rate of $129.00 (single and double rate) or $149.00 (triple rate). For more information about the hotel and its amenities, please visit: http://www.valleyriverinn.com
Eugene Hilton
66 E. 6th Ave.,
Eugene, Oregon, 9740166 East 6th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon, United
States 97401-2667
Tel: 1-541-342-2000 Fax: 1-541-342-6661
The Eugene Hilton is located downtown Eugene, about two-miles from the University of Oregon campus. For a description of the hotel and its amenities, please visit: http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/EUGEHHF-Hilton-Eugene-Conference-Center-Oregon/index.do
There are a variety of ways to get to the city of Eugene from both Eugene Airport and Portland. Most of these services accept reservations in advance--in fact, most services expect it. Please be sure to reserve well in advance of your arrival! Also, please make sure that the service you choose accepts credit cards, if that is your preferred method of payment.
Eugene Airport Information: http://www.oregon.com/transportation/eugene_airport.cfm
Eugene Transportation Information: http://www.oregon.com/transportation/eugene_airport.cfm#parking
Portland International Airport Information: http://www.flypdx.com/
Portland-to-Eugene Shuttle Information: http://www.portlandairportshuttle.com/
We are pleased to be able to offer three excursions on Tuesday, May 21, following the last panel sessions. For all trips, if there is not enough interest to fulfill our cost obligations, we will cancel the excursion and refund all money—please reserve your spot by April 17th and send all payment to Teresa Coronado c/o English Department, 1286 University of Oregon. Eugene, Oregon 97403. All trips will happen concurrently, so chose the one you will enjoy the most. The trips will all begin about 1:30 p.m. and most trips will return to Eugene between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Trip 1: A rafting trip down the McKenzie River. This two to three hour trip will include guides, rafts, and up to Class II rapids for those willing to test the chilly spring waters of one of our local rivers. A boxed lunch and transportation are included in this trip. To plan ahead, you will want to pack a windbreaker and warm clothing—but no cotton, denim, or fleece, if possible. You may also want to pack extra clothes for the ride home, as this trip will be a wet one. Participants wishing to take this trip should write a check or money order payable to Justus Outfitters for $70.00 (USD) and send in by the April 17 deadline.
Trip 2: A tour of three of Oregon’s premier wineries, located just up the road from Eugene. Participants on this trip will sample wines from King Estates, Sweet Cheeks Winery, and Sylvan Ridge (a Hinman winery). A boxed lunch and transportation are included in this trip. Participants wishing to take this trip should write a check or money order payable to Justus Outfitters for $70.00 (USD) and send in by the April 17 deadline.
Trip 3: A guided tour of Mt. Pisgah, a local hiking, walking, wildflower and birding hot spot. We will provide transportation, lunch and guides for this hike. Participants wishing to take this trip are asked to write a check or money order for $40.00 payable to the English Department by the April 17 deadline.
Sight-Seeing Between Eugene and Seattle
Oregon:
http://www.traveloregon.com/ (Official Oregon tourism site with maps, suggestions, etc.)
Scenic Byways and Natural Attractions:
Central Oregon Coast: http://www.newportnet.com/ and http://www.coastvisitor.com/
Pacific Coast Highway 101:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_101_in_Oregon
Columbia River Gorge:
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Oregon/columbia/Columbia_River.htm
Mt. Hood Scenic Byway: http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Mt-Hood-Columbia-River-Gorge/Trips-We-Love/Mt-Hood-Scenic-Byway.aspx
Multnomah Falls: http://trips.stateoforegon.com/multnomah_falls/
Cities and Towns:
Seaside, Oregon: http://www.seasideor.com/
Astoria, Oregon: http://www.oldoregon.com/
Salem, Oregon: http://www.travelsalem.com/
Portland and environs:http://www.travelportland.com/
Powell’s Books, one of the independent bookstores in the US: http://www.powells.com/
Pearl District, lots of hip restaurants, lounges, etc. http://www.pearldistrict.org/
Japanese Garden: http://www.japanesegarden.com/
Saturday Market: http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/
Pittock Mansion: http://www.pittockmansion.org/Default.asp
Portland microbreweries: http://www.travelportland.com/media/mbmedkit/mb_brew_guide.html
Microbrewery tours: http://www.teamweb.com/brewbus/
The Edgefield Hotel in Troutdale: http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=3
Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood: http://www.timberlinelodge.com/
Oregon Wineries:
Willamette Valley wineries: http://www.willamettewines.com/
Winery map: http://www.willamettewines.com/map.shtml
Golf Courses: http://www.oregongolf.com/
Casinos: http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/oregoncasino/Oregon_Casino_Guide.htm
Washington State
http://www.experiencewa.com/v5/home/default.aspx (Official Washington State tourism site with maps, suggestions, etc.)
Scenic Byways and Natural Attractions:
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument: http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/
Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge: http://www.fws.gov/pacific/refuges/field/WA_julia.htm
Mount Rainier National Park: http://www.nps.gov/mora/
Chinook Pass Scenic Byway: http://www.experiencewa.com/byways/BywayPoi.aspx?bwid=5&poi=11
Hood Canal: http://www.explorehoodcanal.com/
Olympic National Park: http://www.nps.gov/olym/
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park: http://www.nwtrek.org/
Cities and Towns:
Olympia (state capital): http://www.visitolympia.com/
Tacoma: http://www.traveltacoma.com/
Museum of Glass, Tacoma: http://www.museumofglass.org/
Point Defiance Park, Tacoma: http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=24
Golf: http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/state.asp?state=WA
Casinos: http://500nations.com/Washington_Casinos.asp
Excerpt from Thomas M. Conley, Rhetoric in the European Tradition. Chicago, 1994. 296-297. Reprinted by permission of the author. (Footnotes omitted for this website.)
CHAIM PERELMAN
Shortly after the German invasion and occupation of Belgium, the rector of the Free University of Brussels called into his office four Jewish professors and asked for their resignations, in lieu of dismissing them outright. They refused on the grounds that to resign would be to ratify Nazi policy. A compromise was achieved, however: they would simply not conduct their lectures while keeping their positions. One of those professors was Chaim Perelman (1912-84).
Perelman was born in Warsaw in 1912 and came with his parents to Belgium in 1925. Something of a prodigy, he received a doctorate in jurisprudence in 1934 and another in philosophy in 1938, both from the Free University. He then served as professor of logic, ethics, and law at the university until his death. During that time, he was frequently invited to teach elsewhere, chiefly at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
During the years of the German occupation, Perelman once explained, he "had to stay home, for good reasons." This modest version of his activities between 1940 and 1944 fails to mention that he also became an important figure in the Belgian Resistance. And it does not tell what he did while at home—namely, to complete an essay on the idea of justice that was to mark the beginning of his turn from philosophy to rhetoric.
"De la Justice" ("On Justice") was an attempt at an analysis of the notion of justice in a philosophically rigorous way in the fashion of Gottlob Frege, the German logician who was the subject of Perelman's philosophy dissertation. Frege, one of the founders of positivism, believed it to be impossible to treat values rationally or scientifically, since they are nothing but subjective expressions of emotion or feeling. Perelman tried to generate a notion of formal justice that would satisfy a Fregian requirement of objectivity. His analysis of various formal principles of justice—such as "To each according to needs" or "Equal treatment of equals"—led him to conclude that, while such formal principles do not contain value judgments, neither does that fact explain how one can rationally compare situations in appealing to judicial precedent. In a systematic application of the formal principle of justice, as he put it once, one has no problem with the major premiss; the problem is always with the minor. In other words, it is impossible to proceed from formal justice to concrete ("material") justice without some value judgments. At this point—at the end of the essay—he asks, "How then does one reason about values?" and ruefully decides that the sort of analysis he had performed cannot answer that question.
The implication was grave. If it were true that no decision as to the justice or injustice of an act can be free of value judgements, then no such decision can be rational. Nothing in the philosophical literature he read seemed to offer a way out of this impasse, so he set about to find an answer on his own by exploring all sorts of domains in which value judgments were made: aesthetics, politics, and philosophy in general, as well as in law. Eventually, his reading led him to see that the way out could be found in the study of the old dialectic of controversia and the rhetoric associated with it.
This was truly a surprise, he tells us. After all,while still enrolled in high school, I had the privilege of taking the last course in rhetoric offered in Belgium. In 1929, rhetoric was removed from the curriculum both in high schools and in the universities.
What did I learn in this final course on rhetoric? Something on the theory of syllogisms and something on the figures of speech. When I came to the university and studied logic, I always asked myself: "What has formal logic in common with figures of speech?" Thus, I believed, the people who gave me this course on rhetoric did not know what they were speaking about. Consequently, it became meaningless. Not surprisingly, therefore, rhetoric, in my opinion, was dead.Yet Perelman, along with his associate Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca, devoted a decade to the study of specific examples of argumentation concerning questions of value, examples of "informal reasoning" which constituted rhetoric.
The result of this study came out in 1958 as Traite de l'Argumentation (Treatise on Argumentation), recognized today as a landmark in the renaissance of rhetoric in this century. The book had an immediate impact on the Continent, where it was reviewed favorably in almost every journal devoted to philosophy. Surprisingly, it was praised even in Britain, in a review by Peter Strawson in Mind, a journal dominated by the "ordinary language philosophy" current at Cambridge and Oxford. But the most enthusiastic welcome was offered in the United States, where, Perelman was to say later, he least expected it.
Traite de l'Argumentation, or The New Rhetoric, as it has come to be known in English, is a comprehensive book, full of insight, and elegantly written…
For more about Perelman go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaim_Perelman
http://www.vusst.hr/ENCYCLOPAEDIA/perelman.htm
http://www.willamette.edu/cla/rhetoric/courses/argumentation/Perelman.htm