Forms of identity and argumentation

This paper addresses the question of how, forms of identity are related to argumentative discourse. First, before exploring relations between rationality and identity, argumentative discourse is defined. Two conceptions of rationality are then distinguished an absolute rationality and a limited rationality, and on the basis of this latter another conception of argumentation is outlined. The central part of the paper looks at the way that elements of argumentative discourse-its rules, aims, schemes and structures of argumentation-can be connected with and co-determined by specific forms of personal and social identity.