The document discusses the importance of rhetoric and composition in ancient democratic societies like Rome, highlighting the roles of figures like Plato and Aristotle in shaping rhetorical principles. It distinguishes between the different contexts and biases that influence communication, while outlining the five canons of rhetoric and the three genres of discourse: deliberative, forensic, and epideictic. Additionally, it emphasizes the persuasive nature of fiction, paralleling it with non-fiction arguments.

1. Rhetoric and Composition
Logos, Ethos, Pathos

2. Historical Background: Might or Write?
In ancient times it was not enough to have wealth and
power to acquire position, one had to possess the
capacity for persuasive discourse and be an
accomplished rhetorician. This came to be especially
critical as citizens strove to secure a position in the
participatory democracy that characterized Rome. The
sophists taught rhetoric for hire. The philosophy of the
day was that man was the measure (of truth); in other
words, truth was whatever was true to for any man at
any given time, and that there were two sides to every
argument. Communication, after all, was primarily
verbal, and in the case of those seeking power; oratory.
The beginning of a scientific and philosophical study of
writing began with dialogue and how to most
effectively and efficiently communicate.

3. Plato
Plato found the sophists to be unethical and
deceptive; teaching people to effectively
persuade with more regard for money than truth.
He deemed their teaching as “cookery” or a
knack, not an art. He did finally conclude that
using rhetoric, once one had identified a truth to
convey, was appropriate. In his work, the
Phaedrus, “Swearingen argues that Plato
considered dialogue the true rhetoric, a mode of
philosophical reasoning… the brings forth
meaning, and an analysis that leads to truth”
(Lauer, 2004, p. 18).

4. Aristotle
In the Rhetoric, Aristotle outlined principles for
discourse and special topics. John Gage “stated
that for Aristotle knowledge was created through
invention in the activity of discourse” (Lauer,
2004, p. 19). Aristotle sketched the architecture
from which all classical and modern composition
are built . In it are the five canons of rhetoric and
the three branches of discourse. His was the art
of discovering the available means of persuasion
in a given case or a particular situation.

5. Rhetorical Triangle
Knowledge of the audience and
the biases of the communicator
have as much impact, perhaps
more, than the message itself.
Social contexts are the glasses
through which we view the
world.

6. Audience & Communicator: Context
Personal context has to
do with nationality, race,
religion, culture related to
where a person live;
region, country,
community, and family. It
also has to do with
accumulated experiences
over time and knowledge
gained through education
and personal study. What
is your context?

7. Audience & Communicator: Bias
Definition
“a particular tendency, trend, inclin
ation, feeling, or opinion, especialy
one that is preconceived or unreaso
ned: illegal bias against older jobapp
licants; the magazine’s bias toward
art rather than photography;our stro
ng bias in favor of the idea.”
From Dictionary.com,
http://dictionary.reference.com/bro
wse/bias
Imagine your bias
as a Jew in a
containment
camp.
Imagine your bias
as a German who
is also a Nazi
soldier.

8. Five Canons of Rhetoric
For more info about the history of rhetoric, click on the link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw6cRtSUDYc .
Video by Dr. Star Muir, George Mason University

9. Three Genres of Discourse
Deliberative
• Legislative
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Policy
• Future
• Forensic
Forensic
• Judicial
• Justice
• Innocence or guilt
• Evidence
• past
Epideictic
• Ceremonial
• Occasion
• Praise or blame
• Lesson
• Present

10. Video: Ethos by Dr. Muir
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=7-zazdKSSho
Video: Logos By Dr. Muir
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=n6TOCN40xZ0
Video: Pathos by Dr. Muir
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=L_GhePQgdQc

11. Rhetoric and Creative Writing

12. Jacob the Liar was originally a novel written
by the East German Jewish author Jurek
Becker. In this film adaptation, Robin Williams
plays the part of Jacob.
Note how you feel at the end of the movie.
Do you feel moved? Changed? Angry?
Your response to this movie is your first
discussion post of the week.
Rhetoric in Jakob the Liar
To view the movie, click on
the link,
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9O1ddEbEqIY
Consider a novel you have read. Did the story
move you? Did it make you happy? Sad?
Mad? Did you laugh? Did it change the way
you think about the world?
Fiction can be as persuasive as any non-
fiction. We don’t tend to think of fiction as an
“argument”, pro or con, when in fact, fiction
solicits our agreement in much the same way
as a persuasive argument.
In order to illustrate this point, a link to the
movie Jakob the Liar has been provided at the
left.

13. Review of Rhetoric
“argument” or discourse
Man is the measure of truth
There are two sides to every
argument
Philosophical reasoning that
brings forth meaning
Knowledge created through
invention
Memory
Arrangement
Invention
Delivery
Style
M.A.I.D.S.
Deliberative
• Advantages/disadvantages
• Legislative
• future
Forensic
• Justice/evidence
• Judicial
• past
Epideictic
• Praise or blame
• Occasion
• present
Definitions Five Canons Three Genres