Theoretical concepts and argumentative practice

A key task in argumentation theory is the development of theoretical concepts. It is an important but often underestimated matter that theoretical concepts originate from a necessary interaction of empirical phenomena and theoretical reflection. In this chapter we show how qualitative research is employed in the development of theoretical concepts and identify two complementary components of the of the concept creation method: a first accidental component that establishes the need for a new concept, followed by a systematic component that guides the concept formation and refinement. This method is illustrated with the reconstruction of a previously unidentified type of argument and with the concept of argumentative potential and standing standpoints. In both cases, a new theoretical concept is created by building on existing theoretical notions and comparing the new one with various alternative conceptual interpretations.