Intro to Rhetorical Theory

1. Heuristic: "The Inventive Process". The ability to discover the means of expressing our thoughts and sentiments effectively to others.
2. Erisitc: "The Inherent Power of the Language Itself". Expresses discourse's power to express, to captivate, to aruge, even to injure.
3. Protrepic: "The Capacity [of words] to 'turn' or direct human thought". Language affords human agents the possibility for persuading others to t hink as they think, to act as they wish them to act.

1. Economic/Geographical Factors2. Political Factors3. Cultural Factors

1. Truth is relative to the time, place, and circumstances. NO absolute truth.
2. Decision in both personal behavior and personal policy should be based on Endoxa.
3. Goal of education is development of Arete.

Premises taken to be probable, rather than revealed truth. Endoxa is a belief and mindset, not a single action.

Arete: Possessing virtue and personal excellence, which is 'the ability to manage one's personal affairs in an intelligent manner and to succeed in public."
Development of Arete: Developed through studying a variety of subjects and through the intensive study of rhetoric.

Translations:Demos = The Mass of Ordinary CitizensGnorimoi = A higher class of citizensPaideia = EducationIsegoria = A guarantee of equal opportunity to speak freely in public settingsPolis = CityTechne = True ArtLogos = Word/Argument

Dissoi Logoi:"Contradictory Arguments". Strong arguments could be produced for or against any claim.
Kairos:The truth depended on a careful consideration of all factors surrounding an event, including time, opportunity, and circumstances. Related to "Decorum".
Decorum:A Concern for the words appropriate for the situation, issue, or audience.
Sophists often use contradictory arguments (Dissoi Logoi) to carefully consider what is "truth" (Kairos).

Early speechwriters who charged for their service, often heavy fees.

A Sophist teaching method where students memorized famous and effective speeches in order to compose similar ones. Also refers to "A speech prepared for a formal occasion."

1. They charged for their services.2. They were often foreigners.3. They taught "Cultural Relativism".4. They thought that truth emerged from a clash of arguments and were skeptical about the divine nature of truth.5. Their view on Justice is based on 'nomos' (social agreement) rather than law.

Social Agreement based upon whatever was possible at the time. Nomos refers to putting belief into action, making a socially agreed law.

DeRomilly: "The teaching of both RHETORIC and PHILOSOPHY was marked forever by the ideas that the SOPHISTS introduced and the DEBATES they initiated."

Gorgias:Radical SkepticismBelief in Word Magic (Rhetoric as Psychogogos)
Protagoras:"Man is the measure of all things."Believed every issue has 2 sides (pro and con)
Isocrates:Taught Political StatesmanshipBelieved in 3 Factors of Rhetorical Training (Natural Talent, Extensive Practice, and Education in basic principles of Rhetoric)

Nothing exists.If something did exist, we could not know it.If we could know something existed, we would not be able to communicate it to anyone else.

Peitho (a form of persuasion):An art of deception, which works through the medium of language to massage the psyche.
Gorgias believed that word magic sub-consciously 'massaged' the brain. Word choices were very critical.