Rhetorical Perspectivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rhetorical Perspectivism - Essay Example Rhetorical perspectivism, as union of communication and Philosophy, postulates that in practicing this stance, there would be a balanced objectivity when it comes to the openness of a person’s mind towards ideas opposing his own thought, and is vital in acquiring unbiased learning. Rhetorics and Perspectivism Rhetorics and perspectivism were once separate ideologies. The art of rhetorics can be traced back to the age of oratorical speeches in Ancient Greece. According to Cline (2010), Greeks of long ago wondered about language, and this curiosity has led to the â€Å"realization, coming from collective political arrangements† that spoken and written language â€Å"had very real effects towards the polis.† This idea is parallel to Aristotle’s view which states that rhetorics is â€Å"a means of persuasion† and makes it as a unique form of art (as Cited in Xiuguo, 2005). It is believed that rhetorics is practiced the way it is because Greeks who could afford education primarily want to learn how â€Å"to speak with authority† for future involvement in the state affairs or Politics (Cline, 2010). Nowadays, rhetorics is seen as a way to â€Å"coordinate social action† in response to an influence of an opinion (Xiuguo, 2005). Perspectivism, on the other hand, is more related to the area of Philosophy. The tenets of perspectivism were conceptualized by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, where his core assumption argues that there is no absolute truth. However, other contemporary philosophers questioned the â€Å"truthfulness† of Nietzsche’s concept. Clark (n.d.) argues that if Nietzsche’s claim is true, then no philosopher could assure the validity of their assumption, and even Nietzsche’s idea would negate itself (as cited in Olson, n.d.). However, Olson (n.d.) was able to resolve this dilemma by treating Nietzsche’s concept as â€Å"the best way to live one’s life in the absence o f an absolute truth.† Nietzsche’s perspectivism may have been the mother concept of the old phrase: â€Å"the truth at the other side of the table.† Both rhetorics and perspectivism, although different, have their own seats in the room of education. Basically, the two are treated as separate fields of concern, where rhetorics is categorized along with the other pillars of public speaking and perspectivism in the area of philosophy. However, rhetorical perspectivism shifts the normal treatment of both subjects is inter-related bodies of knowledge which are specifically helpful in the area of education, with respect to the different learning strategies of each student. Olson (n.d.) promotes open-mindedness as the main thought of Nietzsche’s perspectivism, and thus, it plays a critical role in the field of debate and argumentation; activities where rhetorics is strongly related. At this point, one can see the vague line connecting the two disciplines which co uld possibly be the key of unraveling the ideas of Cherwitz and Hikins and the birth of rhetorical perspectivism. Cherwitz and Hikins denounce subjectivity and intersubjectivity in rhetorical perspectivism, since it is much like weighing all sides of an argument rather than sticking to one’s belief as indispensable truth. Rhetorical Perspectivism and its Role in Education Lucaites, Condit, and Cuadill (1999) contend that rhetorical perspe