Public Speaking/Communication

Catalog description

Public speaking education as we know it today owes its core philosophy to the art of “rhetoric,” or the practical study of principles for influential public communication. A centerpiece of definitive education for thousands of years (most notably in classical Greece and Rome), and a core liberal art since the Renaissance, rhetoric is not just performing the mechanical skills and tactics of speaking well. It is a discipline of practical philosophy for understanding critical decision-making, assessment of diverse situations and people, and thoughtful application of first principles under contingent circumstances. The practice of rhetoric through effective public speaking, thus defined, is not merely essential to effecting social influence through communication. It is crucial to the exercise of critical thinking and prudential judgment in public life, indispensable in a democratic society, and a core element of the human condition. So, while this is an introductory course to Public Speaking and Communication, it will not be an easy course. While we will deliver a number of speeches, that’s not all we’ll do. We’ll study, discuss, and practice important theories and concepts of rhetorical communication, which is a subject of serious inquiry. And has been literally for millennia. The good news is that we’ll do it on an accessible entry level, taking it step by step, and giving you lots of opportunities to practice and succeed. More practical applications = more skills and more confidence! And we’ll go about all of this in an open, welcoming and safe space in which we can all learn from one another and help each other out.