Final Exam Flashcards
(33 cards)
Define critical/criticism.
- implies “careful attention”
- communication holds the power to shape/create reality
Ex: “How reliable is the source of this argument?”
What are the components of critical thinking?
Imagination, Analysis, Evaluation
Define “rhetoric.”
The strategic use of symbols; inseparable from substance.
Define “text.”
A type of communication artifact.
Ex: speeches, essays, novels, etc.
Define “soundness of reasoning.”
Refers to an argument that is both valid and has true premises.
Ex: If all A’s are B’s, and X is an A, then X must be B.
-> the premise is assumed to be true
-> if the premise is true, then the conclusion must also be true.
Define ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos = appeal to authority/credibility.
Pathos = appeal to emotion/condition.
Logos = appeal to logic/reason.
What are the “species” of rhetoric?
1) Deliberative or Political - aims to influence future decisions
2) Forensic - deals with questions of guilt or innocence; focus on attacking or defending.
3) Epideictic or Ceremonial - involves praise/blame, typically in a celebratory or commemorative context.
Explain Plato’s dialogue/dialectic philosophy.
Dialogue: primary vehicle for exploring philosophical ideas.
Dialectic: method used within those dialogues.
- examines assumptions, base concepts, etc.
Plato ALSO believed that rhetoric was inferior to dialectic.
What are enthymemes (from Aristotle)?
Presents a syllogism, or deductive reasoning, that allows the audience to supply the missing information.
Ex of Syllogism:
All men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Socrates is mortal
Ex of Enthymeme:
Socrates is mortal, for all men are.
If Socrates is a man, he is mortal.
Another example:
What a dreary day! It’s so cloudy outside! (attributes cloudiness to dreariness)
Define metaphor, tenor, and vehicle (Lakoff & Johnson).
Within the metaphor, the tenor is the subject or thing being described, while the vehicle is the object or idea used to represent it.
Ex: Life is a highway.
The tenor here is “life” or the subject being described, while the vehicle is “highway,” used to represent life.
What is “invitational rhetoric?” (Foss & Griffin)
Primarily focuses on persuasion by creating a safe environment, fostering mutual understanding, offering freedom of choice, and seeking to open up dialogue.
- Also, ALL rhetoric is violet and patriarchal.
Define form and information (Burke).
Form = the creation/satisfaction of an appetite in the reader/hearer.
- brings repeated enjoyment.
Ex: sitcoms, New Yorker articles, music, etc. (appeal is in the form)
Information = relies heavily on facts.
- once consumed, it is no longer interesting
Ex: news outlets, emails, etc.
4 Types of Identification (Burke).
1) Association: recognizing similar interests.
- common ground, congregation
Ex: seeing someone else wearing your favorite band’s t-shirt
2) Dissociational or Antithesis: same enemies
- “identification through antithesis,” segregation
3) “We” Transcendence: to instill a shared identity
- use of collective language, from “I” to “We”
4) Unifying symbols
Ex: wedding rings, country flags, sports team logos, etc.
Ethnography (Prof. Clair).
- Goal is to “thickly” describe the culture via writing.
- Does the culture actually see itself in the way you’re describing it?
- researcher immerses themself in the culture.
What is “reactivity” in ethnography?
The question of whether or not the researcher’s presence disrupts the observed culture.
What is “character” in narrative research?
The individuals or figures within a narrative who are presented as having agency and are central to the story’s development. They can represent themes, ideas, or societal roles, meaning that the character isn’t a static one.
Define “semiotics.”
The study of signs and symbols and their use/interpretation.
Explain “sign/signifier/signified” (Saussure) in semiotics.
Sign = composed of two inseparable parts (as seen below).
Signifier = the form of the sign, such as the word, image, or sound; can be perceived.
Signified = the concept or meaning associated with that form (i.e., signifier).
According to Saussure, the relationship between the signifier and the signified is socially constructed.
Example ~
Ship = the sign
Signifier = the shape of the ship, the sound of the word “ship”
Signified = the ship represents a vessel used for transportation
Explain icons, indexes, and symbols.
Icons = signs that resemble their object, either physically or conceptually. The resemblance should be obvious; mere depiction.
Ex: a photograph resembles the scene it depicts.
Indexes = signs that have a direct causal or factual relationship with their object.
Ex: smoke is an index of fire, a thermometer indicates temperature, etc.
Symbols = signs based on convention, cultural agreement, or arbitrary association.
Ex: a flag represents a nation, the color blue has a different meaning across cultures.
Define “ideology.”
A system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory/policy.
What is the “upgrade” and where does it fit within Modernism?
New is always better! Society is always progressing and upgrades are a natural part of that.
What is Modernism in a nutshell?
Purpose: “to enable human beings to develop systems of reason that enable them to transcend oppression in its various forms” (Muraby, 1997).
The Three C’s:
- Closure (we can bring resolution to any problem we face)
- Certainty (we can know things for sure through reason and empiricism)
- Control (we can tame the natural world and take ownership of the earth)
What is “progress” and where does it fit within Modernism?
- the development and improvement of the human spirit (Hegel)
Ex: Olympics, breaking records, racial justice, women’s rights, etc.
What is Marxism in a nutshell?
Base: economic relations in society.
- your role/status in society is pre-determined
- you can’t be anything you want to be
Superstructure: shaped by the base.
- economic relations shape structures and cultural norms
Consciousness: shaped by the superstructure.
- has to do with belief (ex: I can’t get into an Ivy league school given that I’m a black American, so I’m not even going to try).
