This is my first time blogging, so admittedly I'm a little uncomfortable and probably wouldn't write a blog if it wasn't required. But nonetheless, I think it could be a fun and different way of getting my thoughts and opinions out there, and I'm looking forward to see how it progresses throughout the semester. To get some basics out of the way, my name is Aaron and I'm a senior biology major. I've loved being at Clemson and I'm still having a tough time accepting the fact that I'll be graduating this year. I seem to be all over the place in deciding what I want to do after college, but the two major options seem to be graduate school, or working for a year or so then going to graduate school. Either way, there will definitely be more school. I could go on, but I just wanted to write a brief introduction and get some of those details out of the way so that I can start writing about what this blog is really about-- technical writing and my thoughts on the subjects we discuss in class.
If someone had asked me what rhetoric was before we talked about it class, I honestly wouldn't have known what to say. It's not as if I've never heard of the word, but to be able to define it would have been quite difficult for me. After reading some articles about it now though, I believe that it not only is the art of persuasion, but the effective use of language and other symbols to express something. It certainly can be harmful, but if used when speaking to an audience that has the ability to think critically, then rhetoric can actually lead to truth, rather than to distract from it. Although some may say rhetoric is seen in every aspect of speech, I don't think it necessarily is. Rhetoric is used to persuade, even though the persuasion may not be of the conventional kind. Because of that, when something is irrefutable fact, I don't think it is rhetoric. Like we discussed in class, in order for it to be rhetoric, the situation has to be contingent on something. There has to be multiple sides of an issue, where neither one is necessarily correct, but that arguments can be made in order to convince. Lawyers always seem to get bad reputations, and this is probably because it is their job to use rhetoric to convince everyone they are correct, but I think instead of rhetoric giving lawyers a bad reputation, lawyers give rhetoric a bad reputation. If used in an ethical way, "rhetoric" doesn't have to be an insult.
I agree with you that rhetoric can lead to the truth. Using your example of lawyers, it can be said that while one lawyer's rhetorical argument is used to create a truth, the opposing lawyer can use rhetoric to prove their opponent wrong. In science, theories are formed and refined through the use of rhetoric as scientists continually develop new arguments to assert their theories. Eventually, the most valid will prevail.
ReplyDeleteI like what you are saying but I believe even facts are forms of rhetoric. If a lawyer is trying to put a "murderer" in jail and states to the court a simple fact, such as, "the murder weapon was found in the defendant's car." It is only a fact but I believe it would help persuade the jury. One way a fact may not be a form of rhetoric is if the other person already agrees with the fact stated and therefore does not need to be persuaded at all.
ReplyDeleteI feel that with such a general definition from our reading saying that rhetoric is (as you said), not only the art of persuasion, but the effective use of language and other symbols to express something, just about anything can be said to be rhetoric. However the fact that we have the word "effective" in our definition seems to mean that it's only rhetoric if you succeed in your persuading. Which brings up an interesting question, What is it called when you do NOT effectively persuade someone, is that too a form of rhetoric?
ReplyDeleteI too have not thought about rhetoric before this class, but now that there is an awareness of it, I see how common it is. I agree there are some facts that can't be argued, however some facts can be challenged. Considering the argument of Evolution vs Creation, both sides have evidence to support their finding as fact. It depends on how the arguments are presented. It goes back to the phrase "effective use of language and other symbols to express something". I think just about anything can be rhetoric.
ReplyDelete