Jenks – The Sounds of Silence: Rhetoric and Dialectic in the Refutation of Callicles in Plato’s Gorgias

Citation: Jenks, Rod. “The Sounds of Silence: Rhetoric and Dialectic in the Refutation of Callicles in Plato’s Gorgias.” Philosophy & Rhetoric 40.2 (2007): 201-15. Print. Abstract: The article discusses Socrates’ attempt to refute Callicles in Plato’s “Gorgias.” The  author argues that Socrates’ representation of ethics and moral psychology, thought to be an inadequate refute to Callicles’... Read More

Young – Arts, Crafts, Gifts, and Knacks: Some Disharmonies in the New Rhetoric

Young, Richard.  “Arts, Crafts, Gifts, and Knacks:  Some Disharmonies in the New Rhetoric.”  Visible Languages 14 4 (1980):  341-350.  Print. In this article Young is exploring how the differences between a “vitalist” theory of composing and a “technical” theory effect the what and how of teaching writing.  Ultimately, Young notes that both groups seems to be on the side of right (at least in some sense). Y. begins by highlighting... Read More

Richard Weaver – The Cultural Role of Rhetoric

Richard Weaver – “The Cultural Role of Rhetoric” Weaver was a Platonic conservative who truly believed in essences.  He belived in definitional arguments as some of the most reliable argumentative forms because they called forth essence rather than similarity.  He developed “god terms” and “devil terms” to describe particular words that must be used and studied with care as these are the sorts of words that could most easily be deployed... Read More

Chapter One from Conley – Rhetoric in the European Tradition

Chapter One from:  Conley, Thomas.  Rhetoric in the European Tradition.  Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Conley begins by highlighting two important details from a scene in Homer’s Odyssey: 1) public discussion – with debate and consensus – was the traditional method for making decisions in ancient Greece; and 2) the ethos of the speaker is instrumental in the resolution of conflict/problems. Conley also highlights how language is... Read More

St. Augustine – On Christian Doctrine – Books I & IV

St. Augustine – On Christian Doctrine – Books I & IV Book I From Book I, Chapter I Augustine claims that this work is in the service of creating a useful/accurate hermeneutic for the scriptures.  In chapter II the author highlights how this work will be also be concerned with semiotics – or the function of signs (though of course he wouldn’t use that language).  This points to the probable uptake of particular signs – a distinctly... Read More