Should Logic Be King?

Here’s an interesting question from a Figarist, and Figaro’s very own answer.

Howdy Figaro-

What is your opinion on rhetoric vs. logic? I read a very interesting blog post recently [http://charltonteaching.blogspot.com/2010/09/rhetoric-versus-logic.html ] that talks about how logic gained preeminence as a sort of truth standard, to which all other forms of study are subordinate, while rhetoric always remained secondary to truth, more like a way of pointing towards the truth. The implication I believe was that logic became almost inherently fascistic in a sense. Opinions?

Gabriel

Dear Gabriel,

What you’re really talking about is the difference between rhetoric and what the Greek Sophists called “dialectic.” Rhetoric seeks to persuade people into making a choice, feeling loyal toward a group or leader or brand, or convicting someone of a crime. Dialectic engages in dialogue to find the “truth.”

It’s very nice to subordinate every kind of conversation under King Logic. But people will go on trying to persuade each other. As logical old Aristotle himself put it, “sorry human nature” will employ emotions as well as logic. 

Which isn’t entirely bad. Most disagreements have nothing to do with truth or falsity. They have to do with choices. If every choice were a true/false question, we wouldn’t need dialogue at all. Just the right manual.

Figaro is very much pro-dialectic. He loves the ancient dialogues. But when it comes to choosing candidates—or vacations for that matter—he prefers good ol’ rhetoric.

For more on the distinction between philosophical logic and the rhetorical kind, see Thank You for Arguing.

Fig.

"Thank You" Does Aural

A Figarist just asked if there’s an audio version of Thank You for Arguing or Word Hero.  It just so happens that an audio CD is being released on June 4. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon.  

The actor David Drummond does it with a voice so melodious that he makes Figaro sound sexy and funny at the same time. As if I suddenly morphed into George Clooney. I tell you, this Drummond guy is that good.

Update on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at 08:56AM by Figaro

We’re pleased to announce that Amazon is now offering a downloadable version through Audible.com. Just go straight to the Thank You for Arguing page on Amazon. If you aren’t a member of Audible, you can get the book for free!

Short Boors and Hookers

Chicago Tribune reporter Heidi Stevens asks whether there are any good acronyms out there. We answered with A-1 concision.

Let us know your favorite—and least favorite—acronyms or abbrieves.

Forward!

The Obama campaign unveiled its new one-word slogan with this slick video. Last campaign it was “Change.” Now it’s “Forward.” Pundits noted that “Lean Forward” is the slogan for MSNBC. And Figaro remembers reading the Communist “Daily Forward” back in the early seventies. 

Still, we like “Forward.” It’s an example, more or less (though mostly less) of deliberative argument, which focuses on the future.  

We also love William F. Buckley’s definition of a conservative as someone who stands athwart history yelling “Stop.” While Obama supporters yell “Forward,” opponents will be looking at this administration’s policies yelling “Reverse!” 

But the election will be determined by those whose who haven’t yet shifted from neutral.

Where Should You Study Rhetoric?

We often get asked to name the best places to study rhetoric. Here’s an exchange from Ask Figaro. Rhetoric profs, feel free to weigh in. And we should add York College of Pennsylvania as a great rhetoric school.  It hosted Figaro a few years ago. We also loved a recent visit to historic Hamden-Sydney College, which requires rhetoric of every student.

Dear Figaro,
Great site! I love the posts. I’d like to get better at rhetoric/debate/writing. I’ve started both books Thank you for Arguing and Word Hero. Do you have any suggestions on college courses or further higher level education? Thanks!
Josh

Dear Josh,
Thanks for the kind words. Your best bet for rhetoric at college is at state universities such as Iowa State and Berkeley. Rhetoric education continues to grow at the public colleges, while it lags sadly behind in the elite private colleges. Go online and see what courses the schools offer. You may see courses and programs labeled “rhetoric” that actually have little to do with classical rhetoric. If the program doesn’t offer courses with Aristotle, Cicero and Quintilian, don’t apply. They’re not the sum total of a rhetoric education, but you can’t have an education in rhetoric without these foundational thinkers. 

Oh, and avoid the Ivy League, which banished rhetoric many years ago and has yet to rediscover it. Does it seem strange that the most elite liberal arts schools fail to teach one of the original liberal arts? Does it seem weird that rhetoric, the art of leadership, remains missing even while Americans are questioning the expense and relevance of a liberal arts degree? It sure does to me.

When to Infinitively Split

We’re taught in grammar school never to split an infinitive. (Or at least we used to be taught that in grammar school. Do they still teach grammar in grammar school?)

But rhetoric likes to break the rules, so long as it can break them rhetorically. And breaking the rule against infinitive-splitting can make for great rhetoric. Witness this fun sentence from Wonkbook whiz kid Ezra Klein.

Rick Santorum [is] about to very publicly come to the conclusion that Mitt Romney is not as bad as he previously thought.

Santorum faces a classic awkward political moment. Having trashed Romney for months, and having faced a barrage of well-funded Super-Pac negative advertising, the erstwhile presidential candidate must soon endorse his opponent. So how does Ezra Klein make that awkward moment seem awkward? By using awkward grammar! 

A grammarian will want to edit Klein’s sentence, eliminating the “very publicly” in front of the verb. “To” and “come” count as one unified verb (an “infinitive”), and it’s just plain cruel to separate them. Or awkward, at least. Which is exactly why Klein does it.

Want your sentence to sound tortured? Try torturing an infinitive!