Help Received:
Canvas Readings, Ch. 2 herrick
Charles Palandati
- (1) Gorgias defines rhetoric as the tool to transfer knowledge. Furthermore, because knowledge is not concrete or easily passed on without ambiguity, it requires the ability to persuade using appeals to logic, emotion, credibility and even speaking extemporaneously. Additionally, such knowledge is only found at the surface level. Deep ideologies cannot be agreed upon because of the inability to persuade with logos, ethos, pathos, or Kairos in those circumstances. This idea embraces the sophist definition because all sophists used rhetoric for the purpose of either persuading the jury in the courtroom, or to persuade fellow peers in debating politics.
(2) My own definition from “What is rhetoric?” included three points. First, it includes all types of communication; second, rhetoric is effective in persuading people to agree with an argument; third, rhetoric is tailored to an audience, and considers current or applicable issues. While not mentioned, rhetoric also is used to identify a specific truth. All aspects of rhetoric with the exception of truth and confidence I agree with. Such truth requires confidence in order to effectively communicate it to an audience. Gorgias believes confidence is merely deception of the knowledge you don’t have. Therefore, because a rhetor is deceived there really is no truth in his or her argument. Instead, there is only opinion and rationale. Contrarily, I believe confidence is the belief an idea is right, and all others are wrong, unless persuaded otherwise. That confidence evokes a truth in the rhetor’s eyes. It is the job of the rhetor to transfer that truth to others through persuasion.
- Gorgias demonstrates Dissoi logoi in the way he offers a counter argument. Additionally, he demonstrates that when defending a case, it is essential to explore all possible events. Rather than come to the conclusion that she was raped end of story, Gorgias gave four possible scenarios or reasons that defended Helen. Also, Gorgias constructed these arguments not because he thought Helen needed her name cleared, but to show others how to be an effective rhetor. Especially when he speaks about persuasion itself. He concludes that new opinions, speech written with art, and quick rebuttals, regardless of the truth can persuade others because people’s own opinions are insecure and subject to change.