ABSTRACT
In classical rhetoric, the topoi are the most developed area of argumentation theory. However, both research literature and textbooks testify to an abundance of questions regarding them. The focus of such works has often been on finding a taxonomy for the topoi, rather than on their practical use. On the other hand, studies that focus on practical use tend to be hampered by a lack of a clear taxonomy. When the use of the topoi has been explored, it has seldom been from the perspective of argumentation analysis, and rarely as part of an overall perspective of argumentation. By contrast, in this chapter the topoi are discussed specifically from the perspective of argumentation. Various systems are explored, and a practical topical system is presented.
