Rhetoric is understood as “management of symbols in order to coordinate social action. These symbols mentioned in the reading refer to music, dance, drawing, and more. However, they have a huge impact on our perceptions, attitude, and behavior. As discussed in Herrick, these symbols are ways to communicate meanings. I think lines, shapes, even gestures and postures are symbolic means of communication as well.

Management of social action is often concerned with the choices people make. This usually consist of a Rhetor speaking to an audience. The Rhetor is typically more concerned with “How” rather than “What” is up for discussion. Aristotle says, “rhetoric is the counterpart of dialectic”. It is further explained in the reading what “counterpart” means. It is antistrophe, which refers to an opposing side.

Aristotle first thought rhetoric was a way of arguing. Both dialect and rhetoric can apply to all matters, but “dialect is the method they used for framing their arguments”. Rhetoric also examines problematic situations, so there should be no questions to the uncertainties. This begins with opinions. Conflict is possible when thinking of it in this way because there may be a lack in certainty. But, as explained in the reading, there will always be a stronger and weaker argument, a better and worse, but not always a true and false. The ideas of opinions are just likely but not certain. This causes for a debate in critical thinking. It is professed that the aim of the argument here “is to find the truth value of the opinions claimed”. I believe rhetoric requires people to make an intelligent judgment. Finally, Aristotle defined rhetoric as “the art of discovering the available means of persuasion in the given case”. The argument is needed to advance your purpose with the audience, and based on the information shared you must aim to persuade your argument to an audience.

According to Hauser, Rhetoric is understood as the management of symbols and is referred to as a discourse by design. These symbols refer to things such as dance, music, notations, and paintings. Because of this, our perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes have altered. I’ve interpreted Hauser’s words of Rhetorics basic concerns with a Rhetor and their audience which is affected. He suggests it is a way of thinking, while introducing Aristotle’s observations as rhetoric being the “counterpart of dialectic”. Aristotle further suggest that rhetoric is a complement however still different from dialectic. From what I took from the reading is that Rhetoric not only persuades but also examines problematic situations. Rhetoric and dialectic both begin with opinions. This is where the conflict arises. When we think of Rhetoric and dialectic we must keep in mind that there is always a stronger and weaker argument, and a better and worse, however not always a true and false. As mentioned previously, language, style, emotion, and tone all create a conclusion that may be likely but not always certain. Therefore rhetoric is a method for framing popular arguments that were intentionally meant to be persuasive.