History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 049 - Stage Directions - Aristotle's Rhetoric and Poetics
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Oct 9, 2011 AI Snips
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Aesop's Fable as Rhetoric Example
- Aristotle recounts Aesop's fable of the fox and fleas as a case example of rhetoric in action.
- This story illustrates how fables can be employed persuasively in public speaking contexts.
Enthememes Central to Rhetoric
- Aristotle criticizes earlier rhetoricians for focusing only on stirring emotions in audiences.
- He emphasizes enthememes, arguments aimed at persuasion rather than proof, as central to rhetoric.
Rhetoric Aligns with Ethics and Logic
- Enthememes are a type of persuasive argument related to dialectical reasoning but tailored to the audience and practical circumstances.
- Rhetoric, like ethics, deals with particular cases using rules of thumb called "topoi" instead of strict logic.