Lesson 1 Communication

What Does "the Essence of the Universe" Have to Do with Human Communication?

• Exploration of the relationship between cosmological concepts and human communication practices.

Overview

• Key Themes:

  • Greek Mythology

  • Homer’s Iliad

  • Greek Cosmology

  • Important Cosmologists: Heraclitus and Parmenides

  • Implications for Human Communication Studies

Greek Literature & Human Communication

• Homer (circa 850 B.C.):

  • Author of the Iliad; significant work relating to the Trojan War (1184 B.C.).

  • The Iliad contains the earliest written examples of rhetoric in Western literature.

Homer’s Iliad: The Importance of Communication

• Communication is a central theme:

  • Paris's persuasion of Helen.

  • Chryses negotiates for the release of his daughter.

  • Dispute between Agamemnon and Achilles over Briseis.

  • Nestor as a famous orator.

  • Thetis persuades Zeus.

  • Odysseus advocating his plan.

From Mythology to Cosmology

• Concept of Cosmos:

  • Defined as an orderly arrangement that is beautiful.

  • Questions explored:

    • Do things have a common essence?

    • Does the universe possess a common essence?

    • What is the essence of the cosmos?

For the Cosmologists

• Understanding of the cosmos:

  • Intelligibility of the cosmos; described and comprehensible.

• Methodology:

  • Importance of research and critical thinking.

  • Persuasion based on evidence; foundational for science and philosophy (Martin, 1996, p. 91).

Key Quotes

• Albert Einstein:

  • “The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.”

  • “I want to know how God created this world. I want to know His thoughts, the rest are details.”

Two Important Cosmologists

• Heraclitus

• Parmenides

Heraclitus (c. 540-475 B.C.)

• Known as "The Riddler" or "The Obscure":

  • Central idea: All is in a state of flux; everything changes.

  • Important quotes:

    • “All things flow, nothing abides.”

    • “One does not step in the same river twice.”

• Explores concepts of natural laws (atmospheric, biological) and moral laws.

Parmenides (c. 540-470 B.C.)

• Key ideas:

  • Stressed the concept that all is ONE; change is an illusion.

  • Emphasized that the senses can deceive.

  • Maintained the permanence of the cosmos and that established names are mere human constructs.

• Natural and moral laws considered to be unchanging.

Cosmological Implications

• Discussion on concepts of "TRUTH":

  • Relative, situational, changing vs. absolute, independent, timeless, immutable.

Influence of Worldview

• Perspectives shape behavior:

  • “The way you view the world influences the way you live in it.”

  • “Whatever shapes our perceptions drives our behavior.”

"The Essence of the Universe" and Human Communication

Heraclitian Tradition

• Life is characterized by change:

  • Each situation is unique; truth is relative.

  • Communication is primary in arguing to situational truth.

Parmenidian Tradition

• Emphasis on permanence:

  • Some elements of life remain constant; truth is absolute.

  • Reason and revelation lead to understanding of truth and reality:

    • Philosophy supports this perspective; Religion assents to this assertion.

  • Communication is secondary, serving to proclaim established truths.