On Fri, 2005-03-25 at 11:31 -0700, Richard Esplin wrote: > I hope you see the hypocrisy in the statement "Playing with rethorics[sic] is > wrong". Rhetoric is the effective use of language. Everyone who uses language > uses rhetoric. Some are better at it than others. Language is a tool, like a > computer. It is not wrong to use the tool, it is wrong to use the tool to > beguile one's audience.
Ahh, but the ancient philosophers and great orators disagree over using rhetoric to sway an audience is wrong. In fact rhetoric is just another tool in persuasive argument. Some of the best rhetoric I've ever heard has come from the pulpit of a certain Church-owned building not far from here. I myself struggle to use rehtoric effectively, but I enjoy those on the list who do use it masterfully (Michael Halcrow and others) to make their points. You know you've won the argument all someone else can say is "but, you're just using words!" Kind of reminds me of the Simpsons where Homer says, "facts can be used to prove anything." Michael > Richard Esplin > > -------------------- > BYU Unix Users Group > http://uug.byu.edu/ > > The opinions expressed in this message are the responsibility of their > author. They are not endorsed by BYU, the BYU CS Department or BYU-UUG. > ___________________________________________________________________ > List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list -- -------------------- BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ The opinions expressed in this message are the responsibility of their author. They are not endorsed by BYU, the BYU CS Department or BYU-UUG. ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list
