Now that you're here we will get started. I should let you know that this is not your typical academic paper discussing Rhetoric: it is an informal guide that pin-points significant facts so that students, like you, can gain knowledge when it comes to Rhetoric. Like many other things in our lives today, Rhetoric emerged in Greece before the birth of Christ. A group of teachers and speechwriters known as the Sophists were responsible for its emergence.
Defining Terms
Epistemology: In short, this is just a really fancy word for an individual's or a group of peoples' beliefs. Today you most likely have a set of ethics or morals that help you distinguish what is right and wrong. Well, the Greeks had this too; however, rather than focusing on ethical concepts, their epistemology revolved around Philosophy. You will see how each major, rhetorical figure I discuss have slightly different epistemology (beliefs) than their peers. If you wish you can think of Epistemology as religion. Everyone has their own beliefs, but one is not more correct than another and, you may agree with one or two more than the others.
Rhetoric: Rhetoric, to put simply, is the study of language and how it is used to not only communicate but persuade individuals. Different Rhetoricians and Philosophers have contrasting epistemology concerning rhetoric and the concept of absolute truths, as you will see as you navigate through this web page.