Week 1 response to reading

What is the value of classical rhetoric in today's contemporary world? In your profession? And which of the pieces listed during Week-1 have you selected to present over?

Classical rhetoric forms the basis of discourse even today. In places as varied as President Bush's state of the union address to discussion about why you must have a new patio table with your spouse, you'll find the principles of classical rhetoric, because that's how the idea of an argument started. Asking if we should learn about classical rhetoric is a little like asking if we should learn arithmetic because, after all, that was invented in the Middle East 2000 years ago, how could it still be relevant today? Just like we still use Arabic numerals, we still use classical rhetoric.

Technical communication is essentially applied rhetoric. Although some people might like to insist that technical communication isn't persuasive--it's goal is to provide objective information--those people don't understand the goals of technical communication or communciation theory. First, technical communication has a perlocutionary effect, i.e. it tries to get the audience to do something such as follow the directions, use the equipment successfully, take the medication as indicated etc. Although it seems like it would be in the audience's best interest to follow the directions, we know from usability testing, ethnographies, and our own life (when was the last time you followed the directions on your prescription perfectly?) that most audiences don't. Consequently, technical communicators must exploit rhetorical strategies more fully to successfully perform their job. Secondly, the representational theory of communication (clear channel, window-pane theory whatever you call it) doesn't work very well. We know that language isn't representational. (Foucault said it best I think when he said we must end "the tyranny of the signifier.") Communication can't be representational if for no other reason than the sender and receiver have different signifiers in their head. So, representational communication theories only serve to inhibit an understanding of the ways in which audiences construct meaning. The articulated view of communication creates a more useful working-model of communication that allows TCers to serve their audience better. And it also makes TCers symbolic/analytic workers or knowledge workers--a much better place to be in the new economy.

Finally, I'll present on the Encomium of Helen.

Kendall