Words and Images in Argumentation [Preliminary draft. Final version forthcoming on Argumentation. The final publication on will be available at www.springerlink.com] AXEL ARTURO BARCELÓ ASPEITIA Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Cto. Mario de la Cueva s/n Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán México DF 04500 abarcelo@filosoficas.unam.mx tel. 52 55 56 22 72 13 fax. 52 55 56 22 73 76 ABSTRACT: In this essay, I will argue that images can play a substantial role in argumentation: exploiting informa- tion from the context, they can contribute directly and substantially to the communication of the propositions that play the roles of premises and conclusion. Furthermore, they can achieve this directly, i.e. without the need of ver- balization. I will ground this claim by presenting and analyzing some arguments where images are essential to the argumentation process. KEYWORDS: Visual Argumentation; Interpretation; Heterogenous Argumentation; Propositions; Images; Sentences 1. INTRODUCTION One of the main challenges facing argumentation theory today is to make sense of the use of visual images in human argumentation (Johnson and Blair 2000, Groarke 2008). 1 That images are commonly used with persuasive ends and in argumentation is an uncontroversial fact. The challenge is to make sense of this widespread use. One pressing 1 1. When talking of images in this context, we mean external man-made images, like pictures, symbols, icons, dia- grams, maps, etc. My account is not intended to cover mental or natural images. I will also restrict my examples to static images, even though I suspect the lessons I will try to draw would also apply to moving images.