RAIL

Welcome to RAIL!

This is a blog for scholars engaged in the study of reasoning, argumentation theory, informal logic, rhetoric, and critical thinking.  It is intended to be as inclusive and interdisciplinary as is the field of argumentation theory itself.

I chose the name ‘RAIL’ not only for its convenience as an acronym, but because I like the sense of motion and direction it conveys. I am optimistic about the future of argumentation theory: I think it is going somewhere as a field of study, and that it has a lot of promise.  There’s also something suggestive of travel in the name ‘RAIL’ which I like, as it rings true to the international and interdisciplinary nature of the study of argumentation. Argumentation theorists do a lot of traveling across physical borders to attend each other’s conferences and workshops, and we do a lot of border crossing of a different kind as we collaborate across academic disciplines in the work that we do. I’m hoping RAIL will be at least some small contribution to that work.