Persuasive presuppositions

Abstract

A recurrent claim, coming from different approaches to pragmatics, argumentation theory and related disciplines, is that informative presuppositions have a special persuasive force. My aim in this paper is threefold: first, it is to achieve a better understanding of this claim. I argue that we should carefully distinguish between persuasion, which involves forming a belief, and accommodation, which requires acceptance of a proposition for the purpose of the conversation. Consequently, we should distinguish between the persuasive force of presuppositions and a different claim concerning our tendency to accommodate presuppositions. Second, I briefly discuss the evidence available for these claims, from the perspective of the distinction introduced. Finally, I argue that the Stalnakerian approach to presuppositions has the resources needed to offer an account of their persuasive force.