Unconscious Patterns in Argument: Fractal Dimension in Oratory

We consider a long-established approach to text analysis applying it to the specific structure of oratory and spoken arguments. This method consists of deriving measures of the so-called "Fractal dimension". Building on previous work linking "aesthetic appeal" to fractal dimensions of a particular value from the fields of music and literary study, we present empirical analyses of a number of different "persuasive texts" against a range of different choices for determining fractality. Initial results suggest that distinctive "oratorical aims" as may be represented in a text become evident via distinctive fractal dimension.