Dispute is a controversial conversation or dispute. Anyone who has a dispute with a person carries with him a word battle and tries to carry his own arguments to any point of view and convince his opponent. The person who disputes a dispute is called a disputant. The disputation was originally an exercise in rhetoric and since the Middle Ages an integral part of the academic training.
The word goes back to the Latin noun disputatio, which is derived from the verb disputare. This can be calculated with, exactly superior or translate from all sides. Thus, the translation already refers to the original meaning of the concept when it was understood primarily as a rhetorical controversy and was not merely a controversial discussion.
Aristotle, one of the most famous and influential philosophers in history, explains in the Topik, which is part of the Organon Collection, how a disputant has to behave and which rules apply to the rhetorical dispute. The Topik is the 5th and thus penultimate work of the Organon. In the earlier writings, Aristotle remains theoretical, explaining linguistic, philosophical, and grammatical concepts, while in the last two writings he gives many practical examples.
In a disputation, Proponent and Opponent meet each other. The proponent is the one who opens the game in a dialogue and makes a statement (thesis). The task of the opponent is now to disprove this claim with arguments. After this attack the proponent tries to defend his own assertion. If he succeeds in doing so, he will be the victor of the controversy. Such disputations still exist at universities.
After the meeting of Proponent and Opponent, the teacher formulates a compromise, ie an agreement by mutual concessions, then dismisses the disputants and finally answers the objections which the opponent has put forward. Nowadays the term still means a dispute, but this does not have to take place in the described form.
But even in everyday life we encounter the dispute and is usually carried out on panel discussions or talkshows. These are usually led by a moderator, but remind in their form rather to the interview. However, there are also scientific disputes today on various topics, which actually recall the original dispute. Let us look at an example.
Short overview: The most important to the term in the overview
A dispute is defined as a dispute in which two persons or groups of persons meet and try to convince the audience and the opposing side of their own point of view by arguments. Whoever has the better arguments wins the dispute.
In Aristotle, the disputation was regarded as an exercise of rhetoric and was an essential part of the education at a university. Even today discipline is taught at some European universities. Furthermore, the dispute plays a role during the promotion.
In principle, the winner of the disputation is the one who is able to present the better arguments and justify his own assertions. However, the eloquence of the orator and the safe handling of stylistic means can conceal a void of meaning.
Note: The terms conflict, debate, discussion, controversy, exchange of opinions, opinion, argument, word battle and word controversy are used synonymously.