The Classical Conception of Rhetoric
Rhetoric is an art, more particularly, is one of the seven liberal arts
It is composed of principles which must be applied flexibly depending on
the relationship among speaker, audience, occasion, and content
It is a matter of importance whenever humans seek to discover and communicate
the humane truth It is an endeavor which develops the "Humane" condition
(by helping us solve our problems in mind and society)
Stresses the power of the word showing how this power can be used properly
or misused: narration and history contextualize
That probability is as important to human affairs as is certainty
Rhetoric is part of cultural affairs, especially civic, religious, and
poetic
It is ethically based (prefers good to evil)
It has three faces (forensic, deliberative, demonstrative)
It seeks to persuade, inform, and/or please
Participants' contributions should influence society
It is a matter of importance whenever humans seek to convey the content
and methodology of a subject in order to gain adherents to a point of view
That the power of a text is at issue
That conflict breeds discontinuities which Rhetoric can address
Rhetoric may be taught/learned
Depends on natural ability, educated training, extensive practice
Theories, models, and guided pract
ice are important perspectives for learning the art.
Virtue must be joined to eloquence
Knowledge of the world (philosophy, law, politics, history, literature)
are essential
Rhetoricians have five canons at their disposal as resources
Invention
investigate facts (and "other" ways
of knowing including dialectic, logic, intuition, inspiration/authority,
and remembrance)
determine character of all sides of the case (stasis, status, and
topoi)
artistic proofs, ethos/pathos/logical argument (and inartistic)
Disposition
plan of compositions in general from the nature of all cases order
the specific parts of the composition
Style
word choice
virtues of style,
correctness, clarity, embellishment,
appropriateness types of style
plain, middle, grand
flexibility among
styles that words not only "clothe," that
they also "create"
Memory
thought memory (command of the material)
word memory (command of the words)
rote memorization (of parts or the whole)
associational systems
Delivery
vocal control and variety
physical control and variety
Speeches have parts; each part contributes to the whole
Statement of the case and its proofs
Exordium, narratio, divisio, confirmatio, confutatio, peroriatio
Rhetoric emphasizes analysis and involvement of the audience and situation
Discovery of the question and the case
Use of the enthymeme
Includes dialectical (question and answer) formats
Is most often about the
audience "doing" something civic/religious
Requires extensive audience
analysis so as to learn the "best" approach
Empowers people to participate in social development
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