Discourse Studies in Honor of James L. Kinneavy (PDF)

PART ONE: Classical and Modem Rhetoric (p. 1)

Classical and Modem Rhetoric: The Basic Issues

Edward PJ. Corbett

The basic issue in thé classical period was whether rhetoric or philosophy would be thé dominant élément in thé Greek educational System. Plato became thé leading exponent of pnilosophy as thé suprême discipline, Isocrates and many of thé sophists stood for rhetoric.

Later on, Aristotle too became an advocate for rhetoric. It was not that Aristotle was opposed to philosophy. After ail, he was a student of Plato`s in thé Academy, he himself taught philosophy, and he is known today mainly as a philosopher.

Not only did Aristotle see that there was a place for grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric in thé conduct of human affairs, but he also saw that there had to be a place for thèse vital language arts.

A state could not survive, much less flourish, if thé citizens who had a vote could not exchange words correctly, logically, and persuasively. There had to be toilers in thé vineyards and workers in thé marketplace to make such a society work, but there also had to be governors.

Plato claimed that philosophy could best prépare thé governors for leadership in thé state, Aristotle claimed that rhetoric could best prépare those governors to be effective communicators. So thé provinces of thèse two disciplines seemed to be sharply delineated. But instead of thèse two disciplines becoming ancillary endeavors, they became rivais.

And thereon hangs a taie. The rivalry between rhetoric and philosophy during thé fourth century in Athens charged thé intellectual atmosphère with a sparkmg electricity and led to some achievements in thé academy, in thé government, and, yes, i thé military. But there was a lot of pushing and shoving going on between thé two disciplines.

One of thé issues that became a point of contention between rhetoric and philosophy was whether citizens must ferret out thé truth in any area of human affairs

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