Welcome to the fifth of an occasional series of video chats with authors and translators who have written about the philosophy, culture, and history of the Greco-Roman tradition.
In this episode I talk to Robin Reames, an Associate Professor of English at the University of Illinois-Chicago. She works in the history of ideas, particularly the ideas that compose the field of rhetorical theory. Her research is guided by an interest in the visceral and primordial power of human speech, for which ancient rhetoric serves as a first theory.
Robin has just authored The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself: The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized Times. I was asked by the publisher, Basic Books, to blurb it, and so I dove into it, relishing the opportunity to learn something about the unjustly undervalued field of logical persuasion. I was not disappointed, so I called up Robin and we chatted about what rhetoric is, why it is important, and how it can help us in these times of increased ideological polarization.
Here is our video conversation:
I enjoyed the video chat but I was a bit dissapointed in the book. I am not American so the references to Alex Jones and the Obama birth certificate as examples of rhetoric did not really mean as much to me as they would probably to an American. Personally I think the case of Iraqi WMDs and the American invasion of Iraq and all the rhetoric that led up to it would resonate more with non US readers and maybe also still be relevant to US readers too?
Agree that he would use term seems out of character or past words, that words can be used for many reasons, good or bad. I delivered a talk for my grandsons Eagle Scoyt award ceremony. I tried to follow Cicero’s instructions, some personal, some history what does be prepared mean..as in the charge of light brigade from military,mfrom perspective of surgeon reasonable qualities