What is Rhetoric?What is Rhetoric?

Danna PratherDanna Prather

Well…it dependsWell…it depends Different people are going to give you different Different people are going to give you different

definitions for rhetoric.definitions for rhetoric.

According to Aristotle rhetoric is the use in any According to Aristotle rhetoric is the use in any particular case of the available means of persuasion.particular case of the available means of persuasion.

Kenneth Burke says rhetoric is persuasion plus Kenneth Burke says rhetoric is persuasion plus identification.identification.

I think rhetoric is the study and use of symbols to I think rhetoric is the study and use of symbols to create, maintain, distribute, and remove power.create, maintain, distribute, and remove power.

Rhetoric is that which is Public, Rhetoric is that which is Public, Persuasive, Contextual, and Persuasive, Contextual, and

ContingentContingent

PublicPublic – effects an entire community – effects an entire community (opposed to technical – specific group (opposed to technical – specific group

Philosophers, engineers, or private – personal Philosophers, engineers, or private – personal audiences) in our case effects American audiences) in our case effects American communitycommunity

PersuasivePersuasive – ability to affect belief and – ability to affect belief and behavior through the power of symbolic behavior through the power of symbolic interaction interaction supposes that there is no such thing as supposes that there is no such thing as

universal truthuniversal truth

ContextualContextual - meaning of particular - meaning of particular language is derived from the particular language is derived from the particular experiences and understanding of a experiences and understanding of a particular audience at a particular timeparticular audience at a particular time

ContingentContingent – decisions have to be made – decisions have to be made and acted upon but decision makers are and acted upon but decision makers are forced to rely upon probabilities rather forced to rely upon probabilities rather than certainties. than certainties. 

Rhetoric’s Distant Past - GreeksRhetoric’s Distant Past - Greeks

Corax and Tisias – originators of rhetoricCorax and Tisias – originators of rhetoric (oral culture)(oral culture)

Gorgias – early sophistGorgias – early sophist ““Nothing exists. If anything does exist it can’t Nothing exists. If anything does exist it can’t

be descibed. If anything does exist and can be be descibed. If anything does exist and can be descibed, it can’t be communicated.”descibed, it can’t be communicated.”

(Socrates/Plato)(Socrates/Plato)

The Classical Rhetorical CanonThe Classical Rhetorical Canon

Inventio – InventionInventio – Invention

Dispositio – ArrangementDispositio – Arrangement

Memoria – MemoryMemoria – Memory

Elecutio – StyleElecutio – Style

Pronuntiatio - DeliveryPronuntiatio - Delivery

Isocrates – Foremost speech teacher in the Isocrates – Foremost speech teacher in the ancient worldancient world Isocrates claimed to achieve moral knowledge by Isocrates claimed to achieve moral knowledge by

studying public address, as the practical art of oratory studying public address, as the practical art of oratory and as the "biographical science" of studying and and as the "biographical science" of studying and imitating "great speakers." Isocrates did not focus on imitating "great speakers." Isocrates did not focus on strategies and tactics of persuasion; for him, the strategies and tactics of persuasion; for him, the history of public address is the history of virtue in history of public address is the history of virtue in action: The argument which has been "made by a action: The argument which has been "made by a man's life is of more weight" than arguments man's life is of more weight" than arguments "furnished by words" (Antidosis, IV.274-75, 278; "furnished by words" (Antidosis, IV.274-75, 278; 1961b, 2:337-39). (retrieved from 1961b, 2:337-39). (retrieved from http://www.mcgees.net/fragments/essays/backhttp://www.mcgees.net/fragments/essays/back%20burner/isocrate.htm)%20burner/isocrate.htm)

Aristotle – Aristotle – The RhetoricThe Rhetoric According to Aristotle rhetoric is the use in According to Aristotle rhetoric is the use in

any particular case of the available means of any particular case of the available means of persuasion.persuasion.

The enthymemeThe enthymeme

Types of speeches:Types of speeches:• DeliberativeDeliberative• ForensicForensic• EpideicticEpideictic

Rhetoric’s Distant Past - Rhetoric’s Distant Past - RomansRomans

Cicero – Rome’s leading orator-Cicero – Rome’s leading orator-philosopherphilosopher

Quintilian – 1Quintilian – 1stst Imperial professor of Imperial professor of Rhetoric at RomeRhetoric at Rome System of rhetorical educationSystem of rhetorical education Rhetoric is “a good man speaking well.”Rhetoric is “a good man speaking well.”

Rhetoric’s Murky Middle Rhetoric’s Murky Middle

Rene DecartesRene Decartes ““I think, therefore I am.”I think, therefore I am.”

John LockeJohn Locke Anti-authoritarianism – rational thought, not authority or Anti-authoritarianism – rational thought, not authority or

supersitionsupersition

Edmond BurkeEdmond Burke Political writer – founder of modern conservatismPolitical writer – founder of modern conservatism AestheticsAesthetics

The ElocutionistsThe Elocutionists

Contemporary Rhetorical Contemporary Rhetorical TheoryTheory

Kenneth Burke Kenneth Burke Dramatism - theory of motiveDramatism - theory of motive Act, agent, scene, agency, purposeAct, agent, scene, agency, purpose

Stephen Toulmin – Toulmin ModelStephen Toulmin – Toulmin Model

Data Data ClaimClaim

WarrantWarrant

Chaim PerelmanChaim Perelman Universal audienceUniversal audience

Michael McGee Michael McGee IdeologyIdeology

Dana Cloud Dana Cloud Materiality of DiscourseMateriality of Discourse

Jacques Derrida & Michel FoucaultJacques Derrida & Michel Foucault