Book contents
Chapter 4 - Talk
Argumentation and Wise Deliberative Spaces
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 April 2026
Summary
Argumentation is essential to human reasoning. Chapter 4 explores the nature of argumentation and distinguishes among consensual, disputational, and deliberative forms. The chapter focuses on critical discussions as a type of deliberation and introduces the idea of wise deliberative spaces, grounded in psychological research on wisdom. These spaces promote truth-seeking and moral inquiry. They employ wise discourse practices that support cognitive diversity, face protection, and reduced status hierarchies – through using ground rules, facilitators, active listening, critical questioning, and integrative argumentation. The chapter then explores examples relating to classroom discourse, informal dialogue across divides, deliberative democracy, deliberative polling, and tribal societies. It concludes by discussing institutional wisdom – how institutions like investigative journalism and constitutional democracy can support wise deliberation – though both face mounting challenges today.Argumentation is essential to human reasoning. Chapter 4 explores the nature of argumentation and distinguishes among consensual, disputational, and deliberative forms. The chapter focuses on critical discussions as a type of deliberation and introduces the idea of wise deliberative spaces, grounded in psychological research on wisdom. These spaces promote truth-seeking and moral inquiry. They employ wise discourse practices that support cognitive diversity, face protection, and reduced status hierarchies – through using ground rules, facilitators, active listening, critical questioning, and integrative argumentation. The chapter then explores examples relating to classroom discourse, informal dialogue across divides, deliberative democracy, deliberative polling, and tribal societies. It concludes by discussing institutional wisdom – how institutions like investigative journalism and constitutional democracy can support wise deliberation – though both face mounting challenges today.
Keywords
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Waning of WisdomThe Psychology of Reasoning in the Post-Truth Era, pp. 62 - 105Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
The HTML of this chapter complies with version 2.1 of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), covering newer accessibility requirements and improved
user experiences and achieves the intermediate
(AA)
level of WCAG compliance, covering a wider range of accessibility requirements.
Content Navigation
Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Reading Order & Textual Equivalents
Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
Full alternative textual descriptions
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
Visual Accessibility
Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
Structural and Technical Features
ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.