Rhetoric: Discovery and Achievement

Authors

Cal M. Logue, University of GeorgiaFollow

Abstract

Recent writings on the function of rhetoric range from a limiting proposal of "advocacy"¹ to the challenging premise of "adapting ideas to the people and people to ideas."² Probably one should simply accept the fact that rhetoric means many things to many people. Inherent to the belief of most theorists, however, is the assumption that without such subjects as dialectic and philosophy " ... rhetoric is blind, for it has not truth."³ Historically rhetoric has been given the servant's role of persuasion. Debate has been over what are responsible and effective means of persuasion: sophistry, truth, style, elocution, "emotional appeals," identification, good reasons, etc. While this dialogue is important and must go on, this writer questions the premise upon which it is based, that rhetoric should be primarily concerned with presenting and persuading.

Journal Title

Iowa Journal of Speech

Volume

2

Issue

1

First Page

15

Last Page

18

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Logue, Cal M. (1971) "Rhetoric: Discovery and Achievement," Iowa Journal of Communication: Vol. 2: No. 1, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ijc/vol2/iss1/5

Copyright

©1971 Iowa Journal of Speech