The Enthymeme as Postmodern Argument Form: Condensed, Mediated Argument then and now

Abstract

The emergence of electronic media as a key forum of public debate has allegedly changed the nature of public argument. This essay, however, points out that the condensed, mediated arguments found in today's public debates resemble Aristotle's enthymeme. After illustrating the similarities between classical and postmodern arguments through an analysis of the rhetoric of David Duke, the author discusses the implications for how scholars conceptualize argument in the public sphere.