As so far it has become evident to me that Rhetorical Traditions have extensive philosophical backgrounds. Machiavelli and Vico are both flagships to modern philosophy that shape the world as we know it today. Surprisingly, it is through these more modern philosophers that evoke interest the very underestimated universal factor that languages have had on our understanding human nature.
Before exploring the history of languages and their conception and reverberations throughout civilizations, Machiavelli offers insight into human nature and the necessity of organized government. Assuming that certain vices will always tempt individuals into greed, violence, or other evils, Machiavelli advocated a powerful control over those who would otherwise evoke chaos.
According to Vico, customs and traditions evident in the languages that reflect the institutions of a civilization. A shared trait regardless of the contrasting social institutions of nations is common sense or otherwise like concepts of morality. According to Vico,“common sense is judgment without reflection, shared by an entire class, an entire people, an entire nation, or the entire human race,” (142).
The culmination of Machiavelli and Vico is seemingly a metaphysical doubtfulness of human nature and attempts at understanding how to cater to it. Reminiscent of the skepticism of Descartes, Machiavelli and Vico offer new perspective by challenging the conventions and precedence of their times. Machiavelli challenged the idea that only good actions can lead to good ends. I have learned from these readings that through challenges of the form, we are able to discard our preconceived beliefs and pursue knowledge.
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Matthew Penaranda