Persuasion: Communication Behaviors

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Dear Student,
Hi and thank you for using Brainmass. The solution below should get you started. In this particular task, you are asking for help in putting together an essay on a choice of 2 topics. In this solution, I have suggested exploring rhetoric. I suggest using this simple outline:

- About Rhetoric - 150 words
- Role in Knowledge - 100 words
- Gorgias on Rhetoric - 100 words
- Classical Rhetoric and examples - 200 words
- Modern Rhetoric, Examples and difference with #4

This outline should yield around 750 words which should cover what you need. Just let me know via the feedback section if you need further clarification. You can also use the listed resources to further explore the topic. All the best with your studies.

Sincerely,
AE 105878/Xenia Jones

On Rhetoric

The concept of rhetoric is important both in the study of philosophy and in the construction of meaning. Olson (2006), explains rhetoric as follows - "During the 4th century B.C., Aristotle wrote the Rhetoric in which he defined rhetoric as discovering all available means of persuasion on a topic... rhetoric has a clear persuasive function, but also an epistemic function: it serves as a way to discover what is known and what can be known about a subject. Every time we use language--in speech or in writing--we engage in a rhetorical act. Another way of expressing this idea would be to say that all communication is rhetorical. Something has motivated us to engage in the act of communicating with an audience. We have an intention, a goal we hope to achieve." Rhetorical exigence happens when we are motivated by factors or situations to communicate, where we use intentional language to persuade people, to move an audience towards a position or a goal (i.e. a politician making a speech to get people to vote him to office).

On Knowledge

To discuss the role of rhetoric in knowledge, one fundamental element that must be ...