Aristotelian RhetoricAristotelian Rhetoric

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Prof. J. RhodesProf. J. Rhodes

Call State San BernardinoCall State San Bernardino

AristotleAristotle

384-322 B.C.E.384-322 B.C.E. Studied with Plato Studied with Plato

367-347 B.C.E.367-347 B.C.E. Defined rhetoric as Defined rhetoric as

“the faculty of “the faculty of discerning in every discerning in every case the available case the available means of means of persuasion persuasion [[pisteispisteis].”].”

Dialectic vs. RhetoricDialectic vs. Rhetoric

DIALECTICDIALECTIC Concerns truths that Concerns truths that

can be shown by can be shown by attention to universal attention to universal principles.principles.

Demonstrates Demonstrates through through syllogismsyllogism and and inductioninduction..

RHETORICRHETORIC Concerns Concerns

probabilities and “that probabilities and “that which usually which usually happens.”happens.”

Demonstrates Demonstrates through through enthymemeenthymeme and and exampleexample..

“Rhetoric is the counterpart [antistrophe] of Dialectic.”

SyllogismSyllogism

Major premiseMajor premise Minor premiseMinor premise ConclusionConclusion

All men are mortal.Socrates is a man.Socrates is mortal.

Yes, most definitely.

EnthymemeEnthymeme

Major premiseMajor premise ConclusionConclusion(Speaker assumes that audience will (Speaker assumes that audience will

supply minor premise)supply minor premise)

All men are mortal.Socrates is mortal.

Yes, most likely.

““Rhetoric is concerned with proofs.”Rhetoric is concerned with proofs.”

Proofs are either Proofs are either artificialartificial or or inartificialinartificial

Inartificial (or Inartificial (or nonartisticnonartistic) ) proofs exist outside of the proofs exist outside of the rhetor’s speech. Examples: rhetor’s speech. Examples: witnesses, depositions under witnesses, depositions under torture, contracts.torture, contracts.

Artificial (or Artificial (or artisticartistic) proofs ) proofs have to do with the art of have to do with the art of rhetoric, i.e., they are rhetoric, i.e., they are “furnished by our method.”“furnished by our method.”

Inartificial proofs are Inartificial proofs are usedused; ; artificial proofs must be artificial proofs must be inventedinvented.. Definitely a

nonartistic proof.

The Pisteis

Ethos(character

of the speaker)

Pathos(disposing the hearer

in a certain way)

Inductive(by example)

Deductive(by enthymeme)

Logos(demonstration inthe speech itself)

Artistic Proofs

EthosEthos

“…we trust good men more and sooner, as a rule, about everything; while, about things which do not admit of precision, but only of guess-work, we trust them absolutely.”

PathosPathos

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“The hearers themselves become the instruments of proof when emotion is stirred in them by the speech; for we give our judgments in different ways under the influence of pain and of joy, of liking and of hatred.”

LogosLogos

“Proof is wrought

through the speech itself

when we have

demonstrated a truth or an

apparent truth by the means of persuasion available in a given case.”

Kinds of RhetoricKinds of Rhetoric

KINDKIND AUDIENCEAUDIENCE DIVISIONSDIVISIONS TIMETIME ENDSENDS

DELIBERATIVE or DELIBERATIVE or POLITICALPOLITICAL

Members of the Members of the assemblyassembly

Persuasion Persuasion and and dissuasiondissuasion

FutureFuture Expediency and Expediency and inexpediencyinexpediency

FORENSIC or LEGALFORENSIC or LEGAL JudgesJudges Accusation Accusation and defenseand defense PastPast Justice and injusticeJustice and injustice

EPIDEICTIC or EPIDEICTIC or CEREMONIALCEREMONIAL

Spectators, Spectators, publicpublic

Praise and Praise and blameblame PresentPresent Honor and dishonorHonor and dishonor

Commonplaces (Topoi)Commonplaces (Topoi)

To find appropriate proofs, one must first To find appropriate proofs, one must first know one’s facts, know the generally held know one’s facts, know the generally held premises of one’s audience, and know premises of one’s audience, and know how to argue logically.how to argue logically.

One argues logically by evaluating the One argues logically by evaluating the relationship of claim, evidence, and relationship of claim, evidence, and premise; certain stock relationships are premise; certain stock relationships are known as known as topoitopoi, or “commonplaces.”, or “commonplaces.”

Aristotle’s 28 TopoiAristotle’s 28 Topoi Opposites Identical results and antecedents Inflections Altered choices Correlative terms Attributed motives More and less Incentives and deterrents Time Incredible occurences Definition Conflicting facts Induction Meeting slander Existing decisions

Cause to effect Turning the tables Meaning of names Part to whole Actions compared Simple consequences Course of action Criss-cross consequences Previous mistakes Inward thoughts, outward show Division Proportional results Ambiguous terms

For more on topoi, go toFor more on topoi, go tohttp://www.lcc.gatech.edu/gallery/rhetoric/terms/topoi.htmlhttp://www.lcc.gatech.edu/gallery/rhetoric/terms/topoi.html