Middlebury

CLAS 1046

How to Win the Argument

How to Win the Argument: Rhetoric and Democracy*
Arguments shape the progress of free society. From "Four score and seven" to "never surrender," to "I have a dream," we celebrate the power of rhetoric to motivate political action. Yet rhetoric can mislead as well, and its techniques appear to involve a form of manipulation. In this class, we will examine the "arts" of rhetoric, and the philosophical debates surrounding the role of rhetoric in politics. Readings include political speeches (Lincoln, Churchill, King), plays (Aristophanes, Shakespeare), ancient philosophies of rhetoric (Plato, Aristotle), and modern theories of speech and "public reason" (Mill, Rawls). We will prepare and practice public speech-making in class, and we will compose and revise our own analytical and rhetorical prose.
Subject:
Classics
Department:
Classics
Division:
Humanities
Requirements Fulfilled:
EUR SOC WTR
Equivalent Courses:
CLAS 0249
PSCI 0249 *
PSCI 1046

Sections in Winter 2025