Rhetoric and Ethics

Catalog description

The purpose of this course is to consider ethical systems and how they interact with ethos and representation. Drawing from classical thinkers, such as Aristotle and Cicero, and moving into the contemporary world, we will engage the ways that Western ethical systems converge and conflict with non-Western ethical systems. We will pay particular attention to how various texts and meta- narratives operate to both reflect and refute these ethical systems that have come to frame the way we “see” the world. How does the Western Rhetorical canon influence our personal ethical stances, and should we challenge those innate ways of being? Using contemporary applications from contemporary culture, we will apply these theories to negotiation real world applications and representations. Prerequisite: ENG 204 or permission of the instructor. (Offered every odd spring term)