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

Rhetorica ad Herennium

Pseudo-Ciceronian Rhetorica ad Herenium (paginations are from the Harry Caplan/Harvard UP edition 1964). The text dates from sometime in the 90s BCE.  The piece is one of the first to explain a Latin system of style; further, it was also responsible for the codification of argument into a standard format consisting of exordium (like the ‘hook’ – this section of the argument grabs the writers attention and connects them to a specific topic),... Read More

Carter – The Role of Invention in Belletristic Rhetoric: A Study of the Lectures of Adam Smith

Carter, Michael. “The Role of Invention in Belletristic Rhetoric: A Study of the Lectures of Adam Smith.” RSQ: Rhetoric Society Quarterly 18 1 (1988): 3-13. Print. Adam Smith’s contribution to rhetoric included the first unification of belles letters and rhetoric and his role as Hugh Blair’s teacher while in the Scottish provinces. Carter defines belletristic rhetoric thusly: “a study of the common ground shared by classical rhetoric... Read More

Crowley – Invention in 19th Century Rhetoric

Crowley, Sharon. “Invention in Nineteenth-Century Rhetoric.” College Composition and Communication 36 1 (1985): 51-60. Print. In this piece Crowley argues against the charge that 19th century rhetoricians like Alexander Bain, John Franklin Genung, Adams Sherman Hill, and Barrett Wendell lacked originality in their rhetorical works. Crowley claims that the theoretical tradition passed on from 18th century rhetoricians provided huge problems... Read More

Aristotle – On Rhetoric

Aristotle – On Rhetoric *******These  are just a collection of reflections on this work, NOT an outline or organized, sustained treatment.  According to Kennedy, “The great strength of On Rhetoric derives from its clear recognition (in contrast to views expressed by Plato) that rhetoric is a technique or tool applicable to any subject and from the universality and utility of its basic, systematically organized, concepts. (20).  These include... Read More