EDF 1005 Reflection Paper #16

Jackie Lawrence
EDF 1005
Reflection Paper #16

Rhetoric is a Greece disciple of education, one of the three ancient arts of discourse. It originated around 600 BC through the teachings of pre-Socratic philosophers, known as Sophists. During the Middle Ages, rhetoric became a significant aspect of Roman education. Philosophers taught it along with logic and grammar, thus creating the concept of the liberal arts. Aristotle, in particular, is credited with furthering rhetoric through presenting his thoughts and beliefs in a rational, systematic way. He utilized the beauty of language to persuade, actually creating a scientifically-based method which could be correlated to other educational topics. Aristotle manipulated logic and emotions to “prove” rhetorical questions, based on his personal beliefs. From him, we get logos, pathos, ethos, and formal vs. informal reasoning. In Roman schools, boys were taught the art of public speaking and how to engage in debates, which both concentrated on the rhetorican tradition. Additionally, the controversia was developed to provide Roman citizens entertainment and amusement during their leisure time. However, rhetoric as a discipline in Roman education had various ups and downs, and eventually lost its credibility to religion and the age of scientific reason. Many Roman citizens preferred to believe in the gods, rather than question, debate, or persuade. And during the Age of Enlightenment, the desire for clarity led to the development of the scientific method, which left little room for the art of persuasion. However, the 20th Century has aided in reshaping rhetoric’s role in western education. This “rhetoric of inquiry” movement has helped rediscover many ways persuasion plays a vital role in our everyday lives and helps broaden our knowledge base. Today, rhetoric is applied in the training of public speakers, writers, lawyers, and the like, and is commonly used in public and political environments. College and university professors apply rhetorical practices in their classrooms, and the mass media makes prominent use of visual rhetoric in advertising. It is once again an accepted technique in analyzing and influencing what is true and real in the world.