While Pauline studies today are grappling with the question of the core of Paul's thought, the investigation of the apostle's social world is also gaining interest among scholars. The study of Paul's argumentation offers a fundamental contribution to both endeavours. Enthymemes, defined by the rhetorical tradition as the basic building blocks of deductive argumentation, constitute an important part of Paul's argumentation which until now has been relatively unexploited. Study of the manner in which Paul constructs enthymemes gives us insight into his thought world. The premisses that he uses as argumentative proofs can be viewed as a reflection of the common "social knowledge" of the Pauline milieu. / The object of this inquiry is to study Paul's use of enthymemes as a rhetorical and argumentative tool and to evaluate what this reveals about his thought, his teaching, and his social world. The study begins with a discussion of the problem of enthymeme definition, followed by a clarification of criteria for identifying enthymemes in texts. A method of analysis is proposed. The entire corpus of Paul's seven undisputed letters is then "combed" for enthymemes, one epistle at a time. Enthymemes are identified and analysed, and their argumentative premisses are catalogued thematically. This exercise permits a serious consideration of Paul's modes of argumentation, rhetorical aims and social world in the context of each epistle. Results from different epistles are compared as a means to consider, in general, Paul's rhetorical habits. / This thesis argues that enthymeme analysis is a necessary first step in Pauline exegesis. It is also argued that more attention needs to be given to enthymeme study in the research into Paul's social world. The question of how enthymeme study can inform the study of Paul's theology and core convictions is also discussed.

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Communication enables us to share our ideas, feelings, beliefs and opinions with others. Therefore it constitutes the very root of our civilization. However, in order for communication to be meaningful, it must initially be understood. To be understood, the message must be communicated in a language we know, with reasoning based on what we already understand (as knowledge). Definitions often function as such premises, and starting points, for our reasoning. Definitions can be explicit, but mostly appear as implicit argumentative perspectives, which is why this essay intends to investigate the argumentative nature of definitions. More specifically I have chosen to examine the definitions Amnesty International use in defense of their decision to advocate for the decriminalization of sex work more closely. The theoretical framework consists of rhetorical theories about argumentation. The results show how one, by analyzing definitions as argumentative perspectives, is able to alert problematic and questionable premises that went unnoticed in the overall examination of Amnesty Internationals argumentation.

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L'approccio argomentativo alla definizione permette di aprire una nuova prospettiva su questo tema. La definizione può essere infatti analizzata dialetticamente come un endoxon, una conoscenza comunemente accettata che ha come oggetto la struttura semantico-ontologica condivisa. La definizione dialettica può costituire lo standpoint di un'argomentazione ed essere fondata su argomenti, oppure fungere da premessa in un sillogismo retorico ed essere quindi uno strumento argomentativo e persuasivo. Le caratteristiche della definizione dialettica possono essere delineate a partire dalle sue origini nella Topica di Aristotele. Da un'interpretazione in chiave predicativo-argomentale di quest'opera emerge come la definizione per genere e specie sia uno strumento di analisi semantica fondamentale per comprendere il nesso di ragionevolezza negli entimemi ed al tempo stesso origine di inferenze argomentative. La tradizione aristotelica è ripresa nella tradizione latina e medievale, in cui viene evidenziato il rapporto tra i differenti tipi di definizione e la loro funzione argomentativa e persuasiva. Nella riflessione moderna e contemporanea il concetto di definizione dialettica è alla base dell'analisi della definizione persuasiva, cioè una strategia argomentativa fondata sulla ridefinizione e sulle inferenze valoriali che derivano dal “significato emotivo” del definito. Le categorie di definizione dialettica e di definizione persuasiva permettono di analizzare le funzioni argomentative della definizione nel contesto comunicativo scientifico, giuridico e politico. / A new perspective on the problem of definition can be opened by an argumentative approach to this subject. Definition can be dialectically analyzed as an endoxon, namely as an aspect of common knowledge regarding the shared semantic-ontological structure. The dialectical definition can be the standpoint of an argumentation and be supported by arguments, or the premise of a rhetorical syllogism. In this case, the dialectical definition can be used argumentatively and persuasively. The characteristics of dialectical definition can be found inquiring into its origins, namely Aristotle's Topics. By interpreting this work in a predicate-argument perspective, it is possible to notice how genus-species definition is a instrument of semantic analysis, which is fundamental to understand the relation between logic and reasonableness in enthymemes and how definitions can be source of inferences. The Aristotelian tradition has been revived in the Latin and Medieval tradition by analyzing the relationship between different types of definition and their argumentative and persuasive function. In the framework of modern and contemporary argumentation theories, the dialectical definition can be considered the foundation for a new interpretation of a particular argumentative and persuasive strategy grounded on definition: the persuasive definition. Persuasive definition can be seen as a redefinition aimed at altering the inferences from values (or judgments of value) which can be drawn from the definiendum. The concepts of dialectical definition and persuasive definition allow one to examine the argumentative functions of definitions in the scientific, legal, and political communicative context.