Mootz, Francis J. "Perelman in Legal Education: Recalling the Rhetorical Tradition of Isocrates and Vico."

Abstract: This paper was presented on October 14, 2008 as part of a panel addressing "The Influence of Perelman in Legal Philosophy" at a conference hosted by the Perelman Center for the Philosophy of Law, Free University of Brussels. I argue that Perelman's philosophy is connected with legal practice, but that he never made the connections between his philosophy and legal education explicit. I refer to the work of Isocrates and Vico, and conclude that Perelman's philosophy can teach us much about contemporary legal education as we strive to address the questions raised by the Carnegie Report. Download the paper here: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1291570.

CFP: "Rhetoric and Argumentation in the Beginning of the 21st Century," University of Coimbra, October 2-3, 2008.

The research unit 'Linguagem, Interpretação e Filosofia' ('Language, Interpretation and Philosophy') of the 'Fundação Portuguesa para a Ciência e a Tecnologia-FCT' (the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) is holding an international conference to commemorate the publication in 1958 of The New Rhetoric: a Treatise on Argumentation by Chaim Perelman and Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca and Stephen Toulmin's The Uses of Argument. The aim of this conference, along with the study of the impact of these books on rethoric and contemporary theories of argumentation, is to take stock of the current state of these disciplines. For more information, please visit: http://www1.ci.uc.pt/lif/paginas/index.php?nIDPagina=85.

"The Promise of Reason: Perelman's THE NEW RHETORIC after 50 Years," University of Oregon, May 17-20, 2008.

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. Faculty and Graduate Students are invited to submit proposals for papers and panels. 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:

• legal argument and justice
• rhetoric and human rights
• ethical rhetoric and communications
• argumentation as a substitute for violence
• international 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

For further information, please visit: http://www.uoregon.edu/~promreas/.