I don’t know what rhetoric is, at least, I didn’t knew until I get to the university. Also I didn’t have an idea of what rhetoric implies, if it was good or evil, where it comes from, or even its function in society. But readily after I was able to listen and read about the concept, I realize that rhetoric is impartial, can be use for creation or destruction. That is older and even stronger than anyone I knew and I will ever know. But the most important things that I learned are those presented here.
From the ancient Greece to nowadays the art of speeches and persuasion, rhetoric, has been and still is one of the greatest instrument that man has acquired and taken advantage from. Back time in Greece, this ability was used mainly intended to help citizens plead their petition in the court of law. But these days, rhetoric is employ everywhere: in politics, law, humanities, public relation, science, journalism, history and among a wide range of fields. It is inevitable to notice how it has transcended for so many centuries. Explaining why it is adjudicated so many different definitions containing diverse purposes, still, maintaining the fundamental character that focus on how words are crafted.
There is an extensive list of definition about what is rhetoric, but one that is powerful is a definition given by Plato. Plato says: “Rhetoric is the art of winning the soul by discourse”. This is a definition that is beyond our eyes, it let us know what should be rhetoric and how you should feel when a discourse, like this, is heard. It recollects the main idea of the meaning; it is a speech with the aim to reach the people in order to touch the audiences’ heart and persuade. Rhetoric is considered an art because is“[…] an expression that is appealing to the sense or emotion of a human individual” and because is a skill as a result of learning and practice. Even though rhetoric comes from the Greek word rhetorike, “speech art”, it does not imply that is a “purely oral art form” instead is the art of writing and speaking. The importance of writing in rhetoric is that it permits the improvement of the work. Writing “did not reduce orality but enhanced it making possible to organize the principles or constituents of oratory into a scientific art,[…]”. It makes rhetoric what it is.
In arguments, rhetoric is highly used and seen. An argument is “a form of discourse in which the writer or speaker tries to persuade an audience to accept, reject, or think a certain way about a problem that cannot be solved by scientific or mathematical reasoning alone.” Its primary objective is to persuade the receptor with the help of elements like structure, evidence and the utilization of appeals. The three types of appeals: ethos, pathos and logos; were establish by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, and are part of what rhetoric implies. Rhetoric studies the ability of effective communication along with the emotional impact and the content. Helping the society to communicates with others in a call to collectively confront any obstacle.
Once, the U.S Supreme Court of Justice, Louis D. Brandeis said: “Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.”. People and the society must use their voice and their tools to break with the chains that won’t let them develop and progress. There is nothing to fear when you are prepared with: a pattern of reasoning, relevant evidence and has the motives to fight against the injustices and/or against erroneous point of views. It is evident that rhetoric arises mainly in open and democratic societies where freedom of speech is a privilege that everybody has. An example, the United State of America first amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, [… ] and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”. This provides the society the opportunity and the autonomy to express themselves and to defend their rights as Martin Lutherking Jr. did, in the discourse “I have a Dream”. There is no doubt that this speech was and still is an example of a contemporary rhetorical discourse that keeps reaching and moving hearts, even though 45 years have passed. Unfortunately, in places were the free of speech is just an aspiration, rhetoric may not be the best option to persuade a mass about the fails of the society including the government and the religion.
We may see rhetoric in many ways, from different angles, with similar descriptions or/and definitions; but we have to understand the impact it has over the listeners. This skill, being as effective use of speech, as it is, and in hands of an unscrupulous person may generate negative reactions. It can be an insincere or untruthful language. Society has to evolve in his education in order to not only create great orators but also strong minds educated to understand and recognize the impact of rhetoric. I believe that Rhetoric evolves independently of the different discourses that may be written, but in accordance with the wisdom of the minds. I believe is a living form of art with great potentiality, an important tool which should be use with great responsibility and diligence. But, independently of this concept, we should be clever receptors, with critic ear and an educated mind in order to avoid hostile manipulations. As a consequence of the essential relation between orator and listener, adjustments are required in order to maintain the rhetoric.
I dare to say that rhetoric is an instrument strong not only as the first amendment of U.S. Constitution but even stronger, like the right to live and breath. It is a weapon that is available for everyone, used by many and unknown by others. Hopefully in the future everybody will make notice that they are human beings with eyes, mouth, ears and the most important part, brain, where they can reason and respond. In the same way rhetoric was develop long time ago with an objective, we were created also with the possibility of making valuable the art of rhetoric.
References
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U.S. Constitution: First Amendment. Retrieved September 11,
2008, from FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business Web site:
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Nordquist, R. .Definitions of Rhetoric in Ancient Greece and Rome.
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part of The New York Times Company Web site:
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Burton G.O. What is rhetoric?. Retrieved September 11, 2008,
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