Chapter Three Control the Tense— The Three Basic Issues of Rhetoric Have to Do With Time

Control the tense… According to Aristotle, all issues boil down to three key points… Blame—Who Moved My Cheese? Values—Whether an issue is moral or immoral. Choice—To do, or not to do.

Control the tense (cont.)… What about Truth? The search for Truth is essential. We must be guided by Truth. The type of argument necessary for this is called ‘dialectic’. **Important Term** -dialectic—a type of philosophic inquiry aimed at discovery.

Control the tense (cont.)… -Remember…the techniques we are studying in this class are aimed at reaching your desired outcome. -They are commonly used by others who hope to achieve the same end. -With this knowledge, you can ‘beat them at their own game’. -However, never forget morals. Be guided by ethics.

Control the tense (cont.)… Aristotle’s three points correspond to the three primary tenses… Blame = The Past Values = The Present Choice = The Future Control the tense (cont.)…

Three Branches of Rhetoric

Control the tense (cont.)… If you find an argument spinning out of control… try switching the tense. -To pin the blame on someone, focus on the past. -To determine the right and wrong of something, focus on the present. -To make things happen, focus on the future.

Control the tense (cont.)… Aristotle, who devised a form of rhetoric for each of the tenses, liked the future tense the best. -The rhetoric of the past deals with issues of justice. **Important Term** -forensic rhetoric—rhetoric concerned with determining guilt and meting out punishment.

Control the tense (cont.)… The rhetoric of the present (epideictic) handles praise and condemnation, separating the good from the bad, distinguishing groups from other groups, and individuals from each other. It is the communal language of commencement addresses, funeral orations, and sermons. It celebrates heroes and condemns a common enemy. It gives people a sort of tribal identity.

Control the tense (cont.)… **Important Term** -Deliberative Rhetoric—The rhetoric of the future that argues about choices and how to meet mutual goals. According to Aristotle, deliberative rhetoric’s chief topic is “the advantageous”. This is the most pragmatic kind of rhetoric. It focuses on experience.

Control the tense (cont.)… But…facts don’t exist in the future. Like the song, “The sun will come up tomorrow; bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there will be sun.” Deliberative argument can use facts, but it must not limit itself to them. All we have to gauge the future is conjecture of choices, not facts.

Control the tense (cont.)… -Deliberation weighs one choice against another… -Beach or mountains? -Chocolate or vanilla?

Control the tense (cont.)… Remember…when you argue about values or blame, you use demonstrative (epideictic) rhetoric. When you are arguing about a course of action, you use deliberative rhetoric.

Control the tense (cont.)… Practical concerns are open to deliberative debate… Deliberative rhetoric relies on everything that “depends” -The circumstances -The time -The people involved -The weather

Control the tense (cont.)… Remember… Since, in life, many issues are neither “black” nor “white”—but a shade of gray— deliberation is an important focus in argument. It is a good idea, when you argue, to shift the tense to the future. In this way, you will be more persuasive.

Control the tense (cont.)… **Important Term** -Digression—shifting the focus of the argument to change its tone and rhythm. (go off-topic) **Rhetorical Trick** -When you make your argument, pose a more extreme version of your point first. The reason—this will make your desired intention seem more reasonable!

Control the tense (cont.)… **Persuasive Tip** -A good persuader anticipates the audience’s objections. A good idea is to produce these objections before your opponent has the opportunity to bring them up. This foresight will make your audience / opponent more receptive to your perspective. -If an argument bogs down in the past or the present, switch the focus to the future.

Control the tense (cont.)… **Rhetorical Tip** -Don’t waste time trying to argue the inarguable. Focus instead on beliefs and possibilities. Stay true to your goals!

Control the tense (cont.)… To Recap— -Many arguments go wrong because the focus is on the wrong tense. -Make sure you control the issue. Is your aim blame, values, or choice-making?