Course content

Rhetoric as a discipline originated in classical Athens, where persuasive technique became a prerequisite for the development of democracy, and essential in connection with the ensuing expanding forensic activities. Roman orators and theorists further refined and developed this discipline. Generally, all kinds of oral and written presentation involve, deliberately or not, rhetorical patterns. Rhetorical reflection also integrates elements of philosophy, ethics, semiotics and other humanistic disciplines. But modern forms of communication, e. g. the press, television, the movie industry, advertising, and political debate, in particular, exploit rhetorical persuasive technique. This course comprises formal aspects of classical rhetoric, and further demonstrates how various modern forms of communication integrate rhetorical patterns.

Learning outcome

The course gives insight into the formal aspects of classical rhetoric, and further aims at exposing rhetorical patterns, whether obvious or subliminal, in various modern forms of communication.

A candidate who passes this course is expected to have the following learning outcome according to the course curriculum, defined as knowledge and skills:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has knowledge of strategic, intentional language application and of fundamental formal rhetoric, as well as insights into the rhetoric of the middle ages, humanism and recent rhetoric
• is acquainted with basic knowledge of the classical languages (Greek and Latin) and knows the terminology based on the classical languages
• has knowledge about the decisive role of rhetoric for law and the democratic development of Athens
• has knowledge of the importance of rhetoric for the dissemination of scholarship and its usefulness as a tool of analysis and interpretation within a number of scholarly fields

Skills

The candidate

• is able to analyse techniques of argumentation in debates and in media by means of rhetoric as a strategic method
• has acquired general insights into techniques of communication, written as well as oral
• has insight into ethical and epistemological problems connected with problems of relativism of values within sophistic rhetoric in antiquity

Learning methods and activities

Lectures. Four-hour written examination.

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

See syllabus

Credit reductions