Ch 8 the enlightenment

1
Ch 8 the enlightenment

• George Campbell (1700s)
• Interested in the effects of rhetoric on the
  human mind
• Mental/psychological exploration was a new
  thing
• But was a theologian
• Argued against mentalist approach

2
Campbells scientific rhetoric

• His view was science was akin to philosophy-
• An organized and rational account of a subject
• All art is founded on science
• Counted theology and ethics as the most sublime
  of the sciences

3
A move to the present

• Campbell emphasised a move to using the new
  knowledge that was being discovered during this
  period
• This displaced and de-emphasized older classical
  traditions of rhetoric (Greek and Roman)

4
Campbell Rhetoric and psychology

• Eloquence is directly connected to the mind
• The mind believes and is moved by ideas it
  accepts as truthful and good
• He split the mind up in relation to-
• Understanding
• Imagination
• Passions
• And the Will

5
Campbell each part had its own voice

• Understanding spoke logic- when suffieciently
  informed, responded with conviction
• Passion, emotion- this force moved one to action
• Imagination, perception of beauty
• You get the idea

6
Campbell scientific and moral reasoning

• Engages understanding
• Science- presents and demonstrates propositions
  with math and formal logic
• It moves to present these ideas so there can be
  no doubt as to its truthiness
• But it cant handle the issues rhetoric typically
  handles, like

7
Issues of today

• Abortion
• Creationism
• Gay rights
• Human genome, messing with DNA
• Etc
• This Campbell put with moral reasoning
• These are considered practical issues
• Based on assumptions about faith, etc

8

• We reason from the availbale evidence to the
  best conclusion possible
• This can create a clash of veiws
• And we are back once again to rhetorical
  discourse

9
Campbell and persuasion

• 1- excite a passion or desire in the audience
• 2- Satisfy their judgement- meaning
• Show there is a connection between what the
  persuader wants them to do
• (the action)
• And the gratification of the passion that has
  been stirred up

10
Emotions and reason

• Campbell believed you needed to
• Convince with arguments
• And get the audience to act based upon emotions