January 31st: Aristotle's
On Rhetoric, Book 2

Class Business

One of your assignments is to "Lead Class Discussion" on one of our readings. We probably should have set this last week, but let's see if we can't figure it out tonight. Take a look at the syllabus and let me know when you'd like to lead discussion.

Also, remind me to ask if the Moodle posts are being e-mailed to everyone. I think I asked Moodle not to do that.

Aristotle's On Rhetoric, Book 2

Aristotle Highlights

Book 2 moves us into a discussion on the means of persuasion, and Aristotle continues as "the great organizer" and catalogs how to use and what to use when delivering oratory. Book 2 appears to me to focus on ways of demonstrating/delivering arguments, but it also provides insight into Aristotle's views of government (democracy, tyranny, politics) and his elitism. Notice how often education comes up as important for citizens.

As our friend Kennedy points out, this section is one of "the earliest systematic discussion[s] on human psychology" (p. 113--2nd ed).

We don't have to follow the list below, but I'm offering these categories as themes to consider.

• Disposition of audiences

• Emotions

• Probabilities

• Topics

• Education

• Youth Behavior

Themes to Consider

Disposition of audiences:

• Friendly vs. Calm (2.1.4, Kennedy p. 112)
  Online

• People are generally bad (2.5.7, Kennedy p. 129)
  Online--down 3 lines

  • Logical demonstration: "And [people fear] those [that seem a cause of fear] to others who are stronger than they are; for they could harm them more if they could even harm those who are stronger" (2.5.10, Kennedy p. 129)
    Online--down 11 lines

• Shame (2.6.14, Kennedy p. 134)
• Justice and Revenge (2.9.4, Kennedy p. 142)
• What assumptions must one have to believe the following: "...for example, no good person would be distressed when parricides and bloodthirsty murderers meet punishment"?
  Online--up 5 lines

Emotions:

• "The emotions [pathe] are those things through which, by undergoing change, people come to differ in their judgements and which are accompanied by pain or pleasure, for example, anger, pity, fear and other such things and their opposites." (2.1.8, Kennedy p. 113)
  Online--bottom para.

Probabilities:

• (2.20.24, Kennedy p. 160)
  Online--bottom para.

Topics:

• (2.23.1-30, Kennedy pp. 172-184)
  Online--bottom para.

Education:

• (2.6.17, Kennedy p. 134)
  Online--up 4 lines

• (2.8.4, Kennedy p. 139)
  Online--up 10 lines

Youth Behavior:

• (2.12.3, Kennedy p. 149)
  Online--bottom para.

• Contrast with the old...(2.13.1, Kennedy pp. 151-152)
• Contrast with those in their prime...(2.14.1, Kennedy pp. 152-153)

What else can we discuss?

Backing Up

I'm not sure if we'll need to, but, if we need to back up to last week, we can do that. There's an Enthymeme I was going to discuss last week if there was a lull in the conversation. You've been an engaged bunch, so we might not need to.

Forge Ahead on Book 3 of On Rhetoric

We may refer back to Books 1 and 2 next week, but the main focus will be Book 3. Remember, this reading is supposed to be advantageous for critical thinking--just like topoi, critical thinking isn't specific to any single discipline.