The Art of Aristotle (Blog 1, Week 1)

Everyday people have discussions. Whether one is simply talking to themselves, to a friend or family member, to God, or to a group of people, most human beings do not go a day without speaking. However, after we speak our first words "Da-Da" or "Ma-Ma" the act of communication becomes effortless, and most people do not stop to think about where communication, the sharing of an experience, comes from. Not only do most people talk in a day, but "research tells us about 75 percent of the average person's day involves some form of communication" (Boxing Plato's Shadow xv). So if we commit so much of our time to communication, how come people do not take the time to stop and learn about its foundation?

Aristotle was an essential figure within the development of communication studies. Aristotle brought new ideas to the foundation of commutation. Even though he was an educator in Plato's school, Aristotle did not agree with Plato's discipline of communication. Instead, Aristotle derived his knowledge of communication from multiple sources; he was even daring enough to learn about the sophists who Plato did not agree with. Also, Aristotle's observation to the outside environment offered new logic about people and nature. Consequently, Aristotle invented formal logic, in which ideas discovered through observation combined with universal principles created conclusions. 

Furthermore, since Aristotle examined all ancient works he redefined rhetoric as "the art of discovering all the available means of persuasion in a given situation " (Aristotle, 350 B.C./1991). Moreover, Aristotle suggested three guidelines that outline a humans desire for communication. First, "Communication is purpose," this idea illustrates that people speak to have some form of influence or affect on another person. Next, there are three common different situations in which people hope to speak with an effect: forensic oratory, deliberative oratory, and epideictic oratory. The last concept that Aristotle believes frames the study of human communication is persuasion.

Additionally, Aristotle created the "five canons of rhetoric" which explain how to practice the art of persuasion during the art of public speaking. To begin, one's ability to conform ideas is essential for the "invention" of the topic.  Then, needs to organize ideas and figure out what is essential for their "disposition". However, the "style" a person is employing needs to be recognized prior to speaking in order to get the correct message across to the desired audience. Most importantly, it is essential for someone to memorize the main concepts within the speech forces since memorizing is an essential skill in public speaking. Finally, the "delivery" of the speech is also significant because the speaker must sound committed to their words if they intend to persuade others. 

Overall, Aristotle illuminates many important factors of communication. If we intend to become powerful speakers, it is essential to study communication beyond our first words.