CSULB COMM 300 Exam 1

Kairos

a favorable situation or opportune moment, passes through a momentary opening before it closes. the best moment to speak

Dissoi Logoi

a dialectical method employed in part because the sophists accepted the notion of contradictory arguments

Doxa

sought persuasion about justice by manipulating public opinion/ common sense

Arete

excellence, moral virtue, living up to one’s full potential

Decorum

concern for words/things to do appropriate to the situation, the issue being debated and the auidence

Dialectic

inventing arguments for and against a proposition. it was taught by the sophists by making people take the opposite sides of the subject (devil's advocate)

Techne

ART, an argument, reason, an account, or simply a word

Thesmos

law derived from the authority of kings

nomos

a source of law in opposition to the other sources such as thesmos

Psychagogia

the leading of souls, a word that Gorgias used to describe his version of rhetoric

Ethos

credibility/character proof, human character and goodness

Pathos

emotional proof, changes audience’s “frame of mind”, depends on proximity

Logos

logical proof, arguments and logical reasoning

Enthymeme

argument that reasons from general to specific

Paradigm

argument that reasons from specific to general

Phronesis

Practical skills and wisdom

Eunoia

goodwill, likeability

Stases (stasis system)

used to identify points of disagreements. issues of fact, issues of definition, Issues of quality, issues of procedure

Issues of fact

did it happen?

Issues of Definition

what is it?

issues of quality

how should we think about it?

issues of procedure

are we handling this dispute correctly?

Trope

creative substitutions of words, and rhetorical devices. metaphors and metonymy

Figures

creative arrangements of words in phrases or sentences that catch the audience's attention and focus it on your key ideas. Anaphoria and Asyndeton

uomo universale ("Renaissance Man")

the universal man, the ideal type of an educated person in the renaissance

Copia

abundant style

ingenium (Vico)

the human ability to learn through grouping similarities or relationships (tropes)

Presumption

a "pre-occupation of the ground" in Richard Whately's terms. the principle that occupies its place as reasonable or acceptable until adequately challenged

Burden of proof

in the argument theory of whately, the responsibility to give evidence and to bring a case against the status quo sufficient enough to challenge its presumption

Gorgias

a sophist most known for offering speeches. believes rhetoric is a narcotic, it is extremely powerful and he'll make you a master at every subject. Plato's dialogue is named after, dialogue with socrates vs 3 sophists. asserts that rhetoric is the study of the "greatest good not only of personal freedom for individuals but also in one's country"

Plato

student of Socrates and was trained in dialectical philosophy. believes in absolute truth, writes dialogues using Socrates as the protagonist. "for every question, there is an answer"

Socrates

ancient Greek philosopher. didn’t write any books, wanted to pursue truth, and didn’t find rhetoric useful or genuine.

Aristotle

student of plato, an empiricist, wrote about a massive range of subjects (around 300), thought rhetoric comes into play when we are faced with practical questions about matters that confront everyone

Cicero

famous politician, lawyer, consul. most influential in classical rhetoric. says rhetoric is the foundation of CIVIL society, bonds, organizes, and directs individuals into societies. reunites wisdom with eloquence. developed a stasis system and the five canons

Quintillian

wrote the institutes of oratory- 12 book training in Rhetoric. says the ideal rhetor is a "good man speaking well", Europeans employed his methods of teaching rhetoric, which had never been done

Augustine

rich lawyer with rhetoric seeks to adapt Payan (godless) Greek and Roman rhetoric for Christianity, follows Cicero, must begin with wisdom then attain eloquence. the holy bible is a source of knowledge

Petrarch

wants to return Italy to greatness, looks to Cicero and Quintilian as models for achieving the vita activa

vita activa

the active life, or life of political involvement. "good man speaking well"

Castigilione

The Book of the Courtier (someone who serves royalty). adopting Cicero for the royal court, the good man speaking well serves his country through diplomacy in the king's court

Erasmus

dutch humanist, 195 variations on “your letter delighted me greatly”

Peter Ramus

-Did damage to rhetorical tradition -taught rhetoric and dialect -published books attacking the big three: Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian
-eliminates canon of invention
-rhetoric is about manipulating audiences

Giambattista Vico

italian philosopher, critiques Descartes' rationalism, poetic language fundamental to human progress, and offers centric model called ingenium.

Thomas Sheridan's definition of rhetoric

was an elocutionist, irish actor and educator, followed Ramus in leaving invention out. provided the ready student with a guide to proper and effective public speaking. Believed that good delivery was intimately connected with convincing the audience of the urgency and truthfulness of one's message

Hugh Blair

lectures on rhetoric and Belles Lettres, a member of the Scottish school of rhetoric which affected British conceptions of eloquence and argument but also affected teaching rhetoric in America. scottish preacher who wrote lectures to improve the lives of students

What phenomena made rhetoric an important skill for athenians?

democracy and the court system made rhetoric an important skill because you needed to be able to persuade to be effective in politics and court. there was a huge market for debate and speech coaches

Who were the Sophists?

traveling teachers who offered classes for wealthy aristocrats. taught people by making them take opposite sides of a subject. werent from Athens and were seen as a threat to power

How does the Sophist background influence their worldview?

They are not from Athens in that they bring a different epistemology. believed in relativism and nomos. they differ from the elite in terms of what is right and wrong

Protagoras

said "man is the measure of all things". believes that truth varies from person to person and that there might not be an absolute truth

Gorgias's epistemology

rhetoric is a narcotic art of deception

How does Gorgias define rhetoric?

thinks rhetoric is like a drug

Plato's Epistemology

dialectical philosophy helps us find truth

Why does Plato consider rhetoric a sham, rather than a techne?

Believes that rhetoric confuses beliefs with facts -Rhetoric Justice: Cookery: Medicine/ -Rhetoric Law: makeup, gymnastics

Explain Plato's major attacks on rhetoric in Gorgias

Plato states that rhetoric puts them at the mercy of a crowd and tells people what they want to hear, not what the “truth” is

Tripartite Soul (Plato)

The soul divides into spirit (noble horse/ethos) appetite (ignoble horse/pathos) & governing reason (charioteer/logos). can be interpreted as symbolic of the path to becoming godlike, personal progress, and attainment of psychological health.

What is aristotle's famous definition of rhetoric?

the art of finding, in each particular case, the available means of persuasion.

What justifications does Aristotle offer for teaching rhetoric?

1. truth and rhetoric, 7 lies and rhetoric.

2. to deal with some audiences

3. to identify rhetorical tactics, think out pros and cons

4. to defend oneself

deliberative oratory

the type of rhetoric used to argue what a society should do in the future (public good)

forensic oratory

Argument that determines just and unjust. It focuses on the past.

epideictic oratory

speech delivered in special ceremonies, such as celebrations and funerals (present)

artistic proof

requires rhetorical skill

inartistic proof

requires no skill

Topoi

recurring lines of argument, strategies that can be used over and over

What were the historical/political context of his life and rhetorical theory?

he was bilingual, updated greek rhetorical texts for romans (translates to latin)

How does Cicero think about rhetoric? What is it good for?

Rhetoric is the foundation of civil society. reunites wisdom and eloquence because they are ineffective without each other

Five Canons of Rhetoric

invention, arrangement, style, delivery, memory

Who

in Quintilian's opinion

Why is Quintilian's rhetorical theory focused on the court rather than political oratory?

because of domitian (emperor)

organization of an effective judicial speech?

exordium, narratio, confirmatio, confutatio, peroation

exordium

creates goodwill (intro)

Narratio

sets up the basis of the case (background info)

Confirmatio

argues in favor of one's side

Confutatio

attacks others side's argument

peroation

concludes, activates emotion

What was the second sophistic? How did it differ from sophistic rhetoric in Greece?

The Roman Empire the term was applied to professors of rhetoric, to orators, and to prose writers generally, all of whom are sometimes regarded as constituting

What is the sublime?

the state of being overwhelmed in awe/ grandeur leading to loss of rationality, alienation from the ordinary, and exaltation (better than normal)

What is the relationship between eloquence and the sublime?

They emphasize the relationship between language and emotion, words can produce a sublime experience for their audience

Who was the most influential rhetorician during the middle ages?

Augustine

Compare Augustine's epistemology to Plato and Gorgias

the inner sense of truth

Why is augustine concerned about rhetoric?

too many preachers that didn’t know how to convey messages in the bible. rhetoric can improve preaching, but can also fall into the wrong hands

What roles does augustine find for rhetoric?

it helps describe the inexpressible (heaven, divinity)

What is the political situation during the middle ages in europe?

the roman emperor is overthrown by barbarians (Germans) the empire falls and their influence is extremely fragmented because major greek and latin works are destroyed. the unifying language falls out and bad weather, food insecurity, and the black plague strikes the empire.

What three major kinds of activities are places for rhetoric during this period?

preaching, letter writing (manuals teach phrasing, word phrases, salutations), and poetry (self expression)

What important technology grows interest in rhetoric?

printing press (multiple copies of the same book)

What is the general political situation during the Renaissance?

Increased political stability, declined power of the catholic church

What is humanism?

An intellectual movement that focused on human potential and achievements, they can solve their own problems

How did the Italian Humanists see rhetoric?

saw it as fostering cooperation and trade between city states

How did Castiglione adapt Cicero for life in the renaissance?

adopting cicero for the royal court, the good man speaking well sources his country through diplomacy in the king’s court

What was the enlightenment?

extends renaissance humanism (adds skepticism, scientism and egalitarianism)

What was John Locke's attitude toward rhetoric

we should strive for perspicuity in rhetoric, use the fewest words you need, but using the right ones

perspicuity

cheapness or economy of speech

Vico's attack on Descrates' trust in mathematics

talking about the math is a clever way to not talk about why you're studying/doing what youre doing

How does Vico see rhetoric?

the foundation of human thinking in ancient poetry and mythology. poetic language fundamental to human progress

What is Vico's argument about rhetoric and learning

says rhetoric is the centric model of learning, happens through tropes that interpret the new through the familiar

What were the elocutionists about?

since the public was growing in number and diversity, academics saw the need to prepare citizens to forcefully deliver their views in the public sphere, climb the social ladder, and defend morality and values.

How was this related to democratic reforms?

Social mobility was now somewhat possible, but you had to have a good grasp on speaking. Rhetoric is a democratic need

Which canon did the elocutionists emphasize?

DELIVERY

What were Belletrists about?

They focused on beautiful writing and the power of STYLE

Which canon did the belletrists emphasize?

Style and audience

What does it mean to say that Belletrists focused on reception?

focused more on the reception and appreciation of written and spoken discourse rather than the classical emphasis on developing persuasive arguments and oral presentation.

Socrates

470 BC - 399 BC