The Evolution of Argument and the Pursuit of Free Expression by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Abstract

This essay provides a framework for the study of the evolution of reason-giving; it assumes that arguments are historical creations which take temporal forms. More specifically, the essay (1) develops the concept of the evolution of arguments; (2) establishes a framework specifying the phases of development—the historical situation, engagement, diversification, and integration; (3) applies the framework to Solzhenitsyn's arguments for free expression from 1966–1978; and (4) gives implications of the study for future research in argumentation theory and criticism.