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.