Rhetoric & Persuade Me not to Kill Myself

Where did the sophists come from?

everywhere (travelers), lived in Greece. Some had backgrounds in magic/witchcraft

What was the sophists’ reputation?

mixed. many distrusted them for prioritizing rhetoric over truth.

Gorgias’ main ideas

focused on the power of language, the nature of reality, and the idea that nothing exists or can be known. “reality is a linguistic construction, not an objective fact”

Protagoras’ main ideas

“first Greek sophist;” charm; taught arete (virtue) and the importance of human experience in understanding truth. He famously stated, "Man is the measure of all things."

Isocrates’ main ideas

Against sophistry. (Native Athenian, taught 4 year program) emphasized practical rhetoric, the importance of ethics in persuasion, and the role of education in shaping character and citizenship.

exceptions to “free men” in Ancient Greece

women, slaves, and foreigners

Why the sophists were controversial

Sophists were controversial for charging fees for education and their relativistic views on truth and morality, which challenged traditional beliefs and authority in Ancient Greece.

logos

a rhetorical appeal to logic and reason

endoxa

common belief/opinion (often used as a starting point for argument)

dissoi logoi

arguing from both sides

arete

virtue, excellence, sucess

demos

the common people

isogoria

the culture/right of free men to speak in assembly

polis

the city-state in ancient Greece, serving as a central hub for political, social, and cultural life.

Kairos (sophistic)

the opportune moment for persuasion in rhetoric, emphasizing timing and context.

Socrates

Plato’s teacher. He emphasized ethics and the importance of self-examination, famously stating that "the unexamined life is not worth living."

Plato

Wrote Gorgias. Viewed rhetoric as something dangerous. “no logos, no virtue”

Platonic dialogue

written back and forth between characters; may be real people, may be paraphrased quotes

three key discussions in Plato’s Gorgias

Gorgias, Callicles, Polus

Socrates’ critique of Gorgias

Socrates argues that rhetoric is a form of flattery rather than a true art, as it lacks a foundation in knowledge and virtue. He believes that effective persuasion should be based on truth and moral goodness.

Socrates’ critique of Polus

“colt,” not wise, young, idealistic/ambitious, “slaves to their own desire/public opinion”

Socrates’ critique of Callicles

he believed in “natural justice;” Socrates says he is a slave to his desires

Basis of Plato’s rhetorical theory

involves “true knowledge” and produces a “good” (ergon)

2 key aspects of Plato’s rhetorical theory

1. study of 3 types of human souls (wisdom, honor, love/pleasure)

2. 2. logical study of arguments (logoi) to each soul

techne

true art of discipline

ergon

desirable/useful outcome, good for society

who was Aristotle

Plato’s student; believed rhetoric could be good

Did Aristotle agree with Plato?

yes, but expanded

difference between rhetoric & dialectic

o   Rhetoric: public speech, no formal training, resolves issues

o   Dialectic: scholarly conference; expert conversation, produces knowledge

What is Aristotle’s definition for rhetoric (techne)

the capacity to see available means of persuasion

Aristotle’s four reasons that rhetoric is useful

1. relationship to truth (capable advocacy)

2. nature of audiences (truth won’t convince)

3. consider/argue both sides

4. self-defense

deliberative setting

making a decision

epideictic setting

ceremonial

forensic

true/false; criminal pleading

Syllogism vs. enthymeme

if A=B, and B=C, then A=C; enthymeme removes at least 1 premise to make it self-evident

Why is all of rhetoric like an enthymeme for Aristotle?

convinced through connecting to audience, making them think and therefore feel

Ethos, pathos, logos

reputation/character, emotion, logic

Rhetoric’s place in Roman education

reflected roman values, gained power

Who was Cicero

What were his two main works on rhetoric?

1. De Inventione (adapted Greek rhetorical theory to Romans, 5 canons)

2. De Oratore (union of wisdom and eloquence, humor, oratory to teach, delight, and persuade)

5 canons

invention, arrangement, expression, memory, and delivery

Who was Quintillian

teacher that had beliefs like Cicero

Res publica

roman people

stasis system

points of stasis = points of conflict, system is to think ahead of these points

Loci

memory palace → to develop habit of thought (sharpen argue skills)

“vir bonus, dicendi peritus,”

the good citizen skilled in speaking

Indefinite and definite questions

indef: theological, no right answer

def: concerning specific things, yes/no possible

Quintillian’s four sources of proof:

senses/eyewitness, common belief, law/agreement/contract, admission

De Doctrina Christiana

Augustine’s claim that Christians can practice rhetoric, the Bible is the model of eloquence

Augustine’s life and history

excelled at and taught rhetoric, then converted to Christianity and became preacher

“sign” (Augustine)

the world is made up of things and signs pointing to things

Augustine’s purposes for Christian rhetoric

truth needs defense (delight, move, above all teach)

Capella’s seven liberal arts

quadrivium: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, harmonics

trivium: grammar, rhetoric, logic

Medieval letter-writing

1. greeting

2. flattery (exordium)

3. body

4. request/declaration

5. conclusion

epistle

“conceal” (purpose of letter, along with memory)

St. Catherine of Siena

wrote 400+ letters about God and goodwill (love+providence)

Sententiae / sentences

pieces of scolarly work taken out of context

Scholasticism

authoritarian approach to education

disputatio & sententiae

scholastic way of debating general topics pulled from sententiae

dictamen

letter writing instructions