James Milton O’Neil

James Milton O’Neil defines argumentation as “the art of influencing others through the medium of reasoned discourse, to believe or act as we wish them to believe or act” while Francis Donnelly explains that argumentation “presents to an audience by the spoken word adequate motives for a free action” (as cited Aquino & Deveza, 1995, p. 94). Hence, debate and argumentation involve an appeal to both the emotions or will (persuasion) and the intellect or reason (conviction).