Argumentachse

Argumentachse is a concept in German-language rhetoric and argumentation theory describing how a set of arguments around a thesis is organized along a conceptual axis. The axis reflects a chosen dimension of the relation between claim and support, such as evidence strength, causal priority, normative justification, or temporal order.

In analysis, the central claim sits on the axis, while supporting premises and data are positioned along it by weight or orientation. Counterarguments may appear on the opposite side or at intermediate points. This framing helps visualize coherence, gaps, and tensions within an argument.

Typology: A linear axis follows a single main line of reasoning, while multi-axis approaches combine several axes, for example evidential and normative axes, to model more complex argumentation. The axis dimension depends on context and purpose.

Construction and use: To apply the concept, identify the thesis, choose an axis, map each element to a position on the axis, and assess alignment and potential contradictions. It is used in teaching, text analysis, and computational argumentation where axis-like classifications support visualization.

Example: In a policy debate on carbon taxation, an evidential-normative axis might place emissions data on one side and ethical and social costs on the other. The axis clarifies how premises support the conclusion and where tensions lie.

Limitations: The term is not standardized; axis choices are interpretive and may vary between analysts. It should complement other models such as the Toulmin model or argument maps.

See also: Argument map, Toulmin model, argument mining.