Theory, Part 2

What is neo-Aristotelian criticism?

Sonja K. Foss (1996, Ch. 3) explains that neo-Aristotelian (neo-classical) criticism was the first formal method of rhetorical criticism developed in the United States. From the 1920s through the 1960s, this was a popular method for analyzing speeches and has exerted a considerable influence on the history of rhetorical criticism.  As its main "units of analysis," neo-Aristotelian criticism relies on the five classical rhetorical canons--invention, organization, style, delivery, and to a much lesser extent, memory.

In this module, we focus mainly on invention. Within this canon, a neo-Aristotelian critic examines how the rhetor's uses of logos, ethos, and pathos (terms mentioned briefly in Module 1), informal logic (enthymeme), and particular lines of argument (topoi) all interact to persuade a given audience for a given situation (or rhetorical exigency). 

From the speech (whether purely textual or orally delivered), the critic determines

1. the context or exigency necessitating or giving rise to the speech
   
   
2. the rhetor’s audience
3. the rhetor’s perceived character or ethos —
   
   
4. the major themes of the speech or text
5. the appeals to emotion or pathos —
   
6. the argumentative structures (logos ——specifically uses of enthymemes (below); the common and special topoi or topics; and the
   arrangement of the speech or text
   
   
7. the style and delivery (Burgchardt, 1995, p. 147).

For Aristotle, attention to logos (as well as ethos) was central in redeeming rhetoric from Platonic contempt.  A significant and powerful component
of the appeal to logos, or reason, is the use of the enthymeme—an informal syllogism in which the minor premise has been left out. 

The formal classic syllogism is a deductive argument consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion:

All humans are mortal; Socrates is a human; therefore, Socrates is mortal. 

But an enthymeme, the rhetorical equivalent, does not provide an explicit chain of reasoning. Instead, it helps motivate action.  How?  By using an
enthymeme, the rhetor assumes that the audience is an active participant, often unconsciously supplying the missing part through shared knowledge,
values, and assumptions.  The audience is persuaded of the enthymeme's truth because they have participated in creating meaning. TV commercials or
advertising are among the examples of how rhetors can rely implicitly on enthymemes. 

As with all rhetoric, it’s possible to use enthymemes ethically … or not.

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