After reading Gorgias/the sophists, Plato, and now Aristotle, the theorists approach which I align myself most with is Aristotle. “In Rhetoric, Aristotle attempt to dignify its use in making decisions about matters on which true knowledge is not available” (RT, pg.170). I don’t agree with Plato as he believe that we are born with knowledge. I believe that we aren’t born with knowledge, but we use our experiences and intuitions to reach knowledge. I believe that through science and analysis we can reach absolute truth.
Rhetoric is something that should continue to be taught about in school. “The very fact that Aristotle taught rhetoric, however, and compiled ideas into the text we now have suggests that he saw rhetoric as a worthy subject of study” (RT, pg. 173). Aristotle treated rhetoric as legitimately appealing appealing to everyone, not just the “rational being”. This is why Aristotle defended rhetoric as it was a means of logical and scientific communication that could convey truths. He believed that there are always multiple viewpoints that can be used to reach absolute truth. Because of his beliefs regarding absolute truth and what rhetoric was I believe that his definition of rhetoric aligns the most to mine.
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