Miller – The Aristotelian Topos: Hunting for Novelty

Miller, Carolyn.  “The Aristotelian Topos: Hunting for Novelty.” Rereading Aristotle’s Rhetoric. Ed. Alan G. Gross and Arthur E. Walzer. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2000. 130–146 In this essay Miller extends the work of Richard McKeon on the Aristotelian topoi.  Her main contention is that the topoi could have a generative function instead of a merely “managerial” role in the creation of argument.  To make this... Read More

Quendahl – Aristotle’s Rhetoric: Reinterpreting Invention

Quendahl, Ellen. “Aristotle’s Rhetoric;  Reinterpreting Invention.” Rhetoric Review 4.2 (Jan. 1986). Quendahl makes the claim early on in this piece that we must read the Rhetoric against the grain, dismissing the tradition of philosophy that has marginalized it into a philosophy of logic of argument or taxonomies of discourse; further, we must resist also reading Rhetoric as divorced from questions of language and style.  To ensure this sort... Read More

Thompson – An Expanded View of Aristotle’s Invention

Thompson, Wayne N. “An Expanded View of Aristotle’s Invention.” RSQ: Rhetoric Society Quarterly 12 1 (1982): 16-18. Print. 2 Thompson argues in this piece that the most significant passage from Aristotle’s Rhetoric is found in Book II, Chapter 22, page 1396, lines 3-8.  It reads: “Consequently, as appears in the Topics, we must first of all have by us a selection of arguments about questions that may arise and are suitable for... Read More

CCR691 – Final Project – Rice

Rice, Jeff. “Urban Mappings: A Rhetoric of the Network.” RSQ: Rhetoric Society Quarterly 38 2 (2008): 198-218. Print. Rice begins with the contention that websites such as Google Maps and MapQuest are really sites of invention where new media is used for inventive practices of informational arrangements The “spaces” being mapped on the net are not only spatial. . . they are often ephemeral and personal.  The “territories” where... Read More