Gourt > Science > Social Sciences > Communication > Rhetoric (9)
Rhetoric (from Greek ρήτωρ, rhêtôr, orator, teacher) is the art or technique of persuasion, usually through the use of language. Rhetoric is one of the three original liberal arts or trivium (the other members are dialectic and grammar) in Western culture. In ancient and medieval times, grammar concerned itself with correct language use through the study and criticism of literary models, dialectic concerned itself with the testing and invention of new knowledge through a process of question and answer, and rhetoric concerned itself with persuasion in public and political settings such as assemblies and courts of law. As such, rhetoric is said to flourish in open and democratic societies with rights of free speech, free assembly, and political enfranchisement for some portion of the population.
The concept of rhetoric has shifted widely during its 2500-year history. Today rhetoric is described more broadly as the art or practice of persuasion through any symbolic system, but especially language. Or, rhetoric can be described as the persuasive or "suasory" function of all human action, including symbolic action like language use. Both the terms "rhetoric" and "sophistry" are also used today in a pejorative or dismissive sense, when someone wants to distinguish between "empty" words and action, or between true or accurate information and misinformation, propaganda, or "spin," or to denigrate specific forms of verbal reasoning as spurious. Nonetheless, rhetoric, as the art of persuasion, continues to play an important function in contemporary public life.
History
Introduction
The scholarly literature on the 2500-year history and theory of rhetoric in Western culture is far too voluminous to be listed at the end of this entry. Useful reference works include George Kennedy's Classical Rhetoric and its Christian and Secular Tradition from Ancient to Modern Times, Thomas O. Sloane, ed., Encyclopedia of Rhetoric (Oxford University Press, 2001); Heinrich Lausberg, Handbook of Literary Rhetoric: A Foundation for Literary Study (1960; 2nd ed. 1973; English trans, Brill, 1998); Richard A. Lanham, A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms (University of California Press, 1968; 2nd ed. 1991). For overview surveys of the scholarly literature, see Winifred Bryan Horner, ed., The Present State of Scholarship in Historical and Contemporary Rhetoric (University of Missouri Press, 1983; rev. ed. 1990); and Theresa Enos and Stuart C. Brown, eds., Defining the New Rhetorics (Sage, 1993). More on [ Rhetoric ]
Public Speaking :: Communications
Critical Thinking :: Skeptical Inquiry
Public Speaking :: Communication
Persuasion and Social Influence :: Social
Philosophy of Language :: Philosophy
Informal Logic :: Philosophy of Logic
@BXGD That's the feeling the rhetoric wd be giving me--that it will soon be irreversibly too late. America survived FDR & LBJ, & Medicare.
amba12 (Annie Gottlieb) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:09:20 -0000
@BXGD That's the feeling the rhetoric wd be giving me--that it will soon be irreversibly too late. America survived FDR & LBJ, & Medicare.
@blogcritics Could GOP Leaders Possibly Believe Their Own Rhetoric? http://bit.ly/1Y0G0U
bcarticles (Blogcritics Articles) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:08:19 -0000
@blogcritics Could GOP Leaders Possibly Believe Their Own Rhetoric? http://bit.ly/1Y0G0U
People must not have studied rhetoric in school. This is complete verbal rhetoric.
AdiiAngeldust (Adii Takashima) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:04:55 -0000
People must not have studied rhetoric in school. This is complete verbal rhetoric.
Cantor Says Rhetoric Harmful, Calls for Inclusion http://bit.ly/1S513c
PceThruStrength (Allan) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:55:14 -0000
Cantor Says Rhetoric Harmful, Calls for Inclusion http://bit.ly/1S513c
I would have faith in what Ed says if he would show me spreadsheets and figures and not just rhetoric. We are an educated population #pcagm
Sirthinks (John Winslow) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:53:11 -0000
I would have faith in what Ed says if he would show me spreadsheets and figures and not just rhetoric. We are an educated population #pcagm
@BXGD You listen to that rhetoric--isn't it one step away from a call to arms? You'd think a foreign power was invading America. . Alarum.
amba12 (Annie Gottlieb) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:51:06 -0000
@BXGD You listen to that rhetoric--isn't it one step away from a call to arms? You'd think a foreign power was invading America. . Alarum.
Rhetoric Bibliographic Database - Downloadable citations from journals and books in composition and rhetoric studies. By Lee Honeycutt.
Meta Description: [ Welcome to the home page of the Composition & Rhetoric Bibliographic Database project. Citations from the following journals and books in composition and rhetoric studies have been archived in both EndNotes and Refer/BibIX bibliographic formats and can be downloaded by clicking on the links below ]
A Few Definitions of Rhetoric - Selection of definitions of rhetoric through the history.
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Archives of PRETEXT@LISTSERV.UTA.EDU - Join this discussion list devoted to rhetorical theory.
Aristotle's Rhetoric - Discussion of one of Aristotle's major works; by Christof Rapp. From the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Bibliography for Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication - Listing of more than 7,600 articles in 26 professional journals, coverage 1971-1998, searchable by key word.
Meta Description: [ A bibliography for rhetoric, composition, and professional communication, with full toc listings for 19 journals ]
Democracy: Rhetorical Texts - A catalog of e-texts of important speeches, largely from presidents and historic feminist figures, with research resources. Compiled by Robert Ivie.
Gender and Rhetoric Bibliography - Bibliography of works dealing with gender and rhetoric. University course material.
H-Net Book Reviews for H-Rhetor - Collection of reviews of books on rhetoric. Arranged by author.
H-Rhetor - Scholarly discussion board, primarily on rhetoric issues. Linked to H-Net's academic announcements.
Immediacy of Rhetoric - Doctoral thesis about immediacy of the internet as a rhetorical forum. Updated in 2002.
Plato on Rhetoric and Poetry - Charles Griswold examines Plato's ideas on rhetoric an dpoetry. With bibliography. From Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,
Rhetoric and Composition Book Reviews Corner - Compilation of reviews of books on rhetoric and composition. Arranged by title.
Rhetoric Approaches to Poetry - Examination of the rhetorical approaches to poetry and literary criticism. By John Holcombe.
Meta Description: [ rhetoric and poetry: a worked example ]
Rhetoric Notes - Handout of a graduate course on rhetoric and its theory. With texts and background material on classical and early Christian rhetoric.
Rhetorica ad Digitum Prototype - Ongoing interactive online rhetoric textbook. Outline of definitions of rhetoric and some Classical, modern and contemporary rhetorical theorists.
The Classical Conception of Rhetoric - Offers a summary of this conception of rhetoric. Links to related lecture notes.
The Power of Words - A description with examples of twenty types of emotional appeals, fallacious arguments, and other verbal manipulations that touch the heart and manipulate the mind.
Meta Description: [ The Power of Words describes the fallacious arguments,
emotional appeals, manipulations, propaganda, disinformation, misdirection and politically correct policies
that defeat our common sense, twist our thinking and control our behavior. ]
Thinking about Words, and Words to Think By - This site seeks to assist viewers in the use and selection of words in the public discussion. Examines terms such as conflict, nature and belief, and offers a discussion forum.
Meta Description: [ This site seeks to assist viewers in the use and selection of words in public discussion. ]
Victor Vitanza. Negation, Subjectivity and The History of Rhetoric - Review by J. D. H. Amador of this book by Victor Vitanza that critiques the discursive traditions and philosophical foundations giving shape to the history of rhetoric.
Women's History in Rhetoric and Language - Mailing list devoted to the field.
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