The Five Canons of Rhetoric

Updated: 1/22/10

Here is some general knowledge of the classical system of rhetoric and its terminology. By the time Cicero wrote his treatises on rhetoric the study of rhetoric was divided in five parts: inventio, dispositio, elocutio, memoria, and ponuntiatio. Let's briefly review each part.

Invention or discovery. Invention was concerned with a system or method for finding arguments. Aristotle pointed out that there are two kinds of arguments or means of persuasion available to a speaker: Non-artistic, such as reasoning from something already established like laws, witnesses, contracts, tortures, and oaths. Artistic modes of persuasion fell within the art of rhetoric: Logos or rational appeal; pathos or emotional appeal; ethos or ethical appeal. In exercising the rational appeal, the speaker appeals to the audience's reason or understanding.

Disposition or arrangement or organization. Here is where you have introduction, thesis, outline, proof, refutation, and conclusion.

Elocution or style is next. This had to do with the use of language, whether it might be a plain style as in teaching, a forcible style as in motivational, and a florid style, used more for charming and entertaining. There's much to be said about style and how its developed.

Memory is the fourth canon of rhetoric, concerned with memorizing a speech, something I don't advise. A few thousand years ago men memorized their speeches through constant practice, much as professional actors do today. Risky at best; job-busting at its worst.

Pronunciation or delivery is the fifth canon of rhetoric. Skill in delivery can be acquired by actual practice and by analyzing the delivery of others. A speaker may have a great speech written out for him but if he fails to deliver it properly, that speech becomes a flop and he is viewed as a flop.

These are the five canons of rhetoric, thanks to philosopher/rhetorician Aristotle (tutor of Alexander the Great), the scientifically-minded son of a physician, and Cicero (a Roman), who added to these a few hundred years later.

I might add here that rhetoric, technically, is not bombast or sophistry, though modern journalists often misunderstand it to be just that. No, rhetoric is the art or the discipline that deals with the use of discourse, either spoken or written, to inform or persuade or motivate an audience, whether that audience is made up of one person or a group of persons.

The classical rhetoricians seem to have narrowed the particular effect of rhetorical discourse to persuasion. Aristotle defined rhetoric as, "the faculty of discovering all the available means of persuasion in any given situation" (credit to Edward P.J. Corbett, Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student).

Here's to better communication.~jwa

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The human mind is tricky; there's a better way

Updated: 12/17/09

Thank God that we enjoy the cognitive process. God has given to us the ability to think, reason, analyze, and articulate what we think. What most people don't know is that it allows us the opportunity to learn to think like God does. And He gives us the manual which instructs us as to how God thinks: the Bible.

But the human mind is a tricky thing. Despite all the power that the mind can generate, much of it is random and a lot of it is fickle, still it is easily motivated by the external things of life that come to us throught he six senses.

We want to belong; we are social creatures. So we try to fit in with others, often without consulting good critical reasoning. If someone tries to sell you a bill of goods, it's good to question it (I have people trying to do this to me every day, if not outside the house, certainly over television).

God says that the human mind is limited and cannot know the way of God without God revealing His way to us. It is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Yet we go about our lives thinking there's nothing better.

The apostle Paul talks about the differences between human mind and God's spiritual mind (1 Corinthians 2). You might want to read through that slowly and carefully. There are other scriptures that show we need God's help in our thinking and that we cannot know how we should direct our own steps (Jer. 10:23, for example).

So should we "check our minds at the door," and turn to God's Word, to learn how we can best conduct ourselves and get the most out of life? I think so. God says so. Be very careful that you don't assume that your human mind is not tricky; that's where troubles come from. Thank God for the cognitive process but with that comes great responsibilities.

Here's to better thoughts and good thoughts, serving thoughts.~jwa

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But what are they thinking?

Updated: 11/27/09

I once gave a sermon on prophecy and one nice lady came to me after the service and said she really liked what she had heard about family and children. I was slacked-jawed, though I didn't show it (or at least I think didn't :).

Upon questioning her as to what she heard, she said that I talked about family and childrearing and it helped her a lot. This is what she walked away with and it remains a good lesson for me, perhaps for you too.

When I speak before any number of people in an audience, I acknowledge that they are listening to me and I truly work to get and retain their interest. I hope to give them something to remember, to help them in their personal lives, and to enhance their spiritual education. Sometimes, however, I find myself thinking, "But what are they thinking?"

If a speaker finds his or her audience staring at him/her in what might appear to be attentiveness, but they don't move their heads or change the looks on their faces, they are probably in another world, thinking about something else, and maybe nearly asleep with their eyes open. Oh yes...it happens, more than we want to admit.

Early in my speaking career, I was delivering a message in a church in Temple City, California and as I was about 2/3rds through it, an elderly gentleman in the front row fell out of his seat. No, not because he was so impressed with my speaking or my message. He just fell asleep and fell face down on the floor. Someone helped him up and he sat upright in his chair, as if nothing had happened.

So when you deliver a message and you are one who assumes that if you prepared the message and you liked it, surely everyone else will also like it, please...please think of your audience. They may have come together with a common purpose in mind but their thoughts can be far from one another, let alone be with you, the speaker.

Do not assume that because an audience comes together and they're held "captive" for a couple of hours, they are with you all the way. For them to "get" with you, the speaker, you're going to have to WORK for their attention, remembering that the demographics of every audience is varied in more ways than you can imagine. Try to bring in everyone within your content and delivery; have something for everyone, without losing the focus of your thesis/theme.

May our communication be more effective in the future.~jwa

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Form and Substance in Communication

Updated: 11/4/09

Do you know the difference between form and substance in communication? There's more to it than what I share here, from a personal perspective and from some of my past studies on the subject.

"Form" means what something looks like, its external characteristics, its packaging. "Substance" means what it actually is, what’s inside. When it comes to human behavior, "form" is what we say we say and maybe mean and "substance" is what we do and what we are.

How often have you been in a meeting or simply visiting with a small group of people and you hear someone fill the air with all kinds of seemingly intelligent reasonings, but the longer you hear him or her load the air with trial balloons and especially when you leave the group, you realize something went terribly wrong...not from you, but from one who now appears to have been a big bag of wind?

That's form with little or no substance. On the other hand, you likely have been in the presence of someone who seemed like a straight-shooter, appeared transparent, offered helpful thoughts to the group, and did not shine the light on him or herself. This is substance. You should now the difference and be able to spot it for what it is without any embarrassment or questioning of oneself.

Here's to some good conversations with many people and if you hear a lot of "form" in a conversation, don't be afraid to question it. If you hear a lot of substance from someone, don't hesitate to compliment that person, publicly.

All the best.~jwa

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JWAust.com hits are rising because of the Alan Colmes interview on Easter

Updated 3/24/08

I am happy to report that visits to JWAust.com over the past two weeks have been phenomenal. Thanks for your visits and I hope you'll return again, often. I also thank Alan Colmes for the opportunity to offer the controversial truths of the Bible. As one man put it years ago, "God's truth will rock and sock your world!" And for those that don't yet know it, regarding what God is preparing to do on this earth, "you ain't seen nothin' yet."

I'm now at 30,000 hits over the past two weeks, which for me is high. Very encouraging.

I hope you'll also visit www.gnmagazine.org and www.ucg.org if you desire any magazines, booklets, or other material, free of charge and without any follow-up. We want to serve you.

May God bless you to understand His plan on this earth.~jwa