A Platonic Perspective: Aristotle's Rhetorical Theory and Form of speech.

     In high school or college, you receive assignments where you not only have to hand in a complete paper. Part of your assignment involves you to give a speech on the assignment that you completed. The idea of public speaking can be unbearable to some students. I personally have never had any fear of public speaking. One of the problems that I faced was the question of how I was going to present my speech for class. I though to myself, " Is there a form of categorization to present a speech?" After reading about the Greek  philosopher Aristotle in Chapter 4 of my ENG/SPE 335 text book titled RHETORIC and Human Consciousness, I discovered that there was a form of presenting a speech. I read the chapter Aristotle's Rhetoric and discovered that the philosopher made an important impact on how people present speeches today.

     In Aristotle's book Poetics there's a discussion of speech giving. In the text RHETORIC and Human Consciousness, Aristotle's Poetics is mentioned and gives tools for speaking in public.The author of the text Craig R. Smith discusses the philosopher Aristotle's take on rhetoric when he  says:

      " the Poetics explores ways to bring a scene alive before an audience, a talent useful in forensic speaking. Character (ethos), the second element, dianoia ( the connecting process that determines the course of events in the story) is the province of rhetorical theory because rhetoric is more concerned with proper timing, appropriateness, and the contingent nature of humans"(Smith, 65).

     Two of these skills are considered useful for public speaking.They are ethos and dianoia. They are ideas brought together by Aristotle to categorize the process of constructing a speech. The philosopher wanted to point people to a system of categories that would lead to truth. Unlike his mentor and predecessor Plato, who only wanted for people to seek truth from the so called noumenal world ( aka the after life, nether world, etc). Plato wanted to seek truth from having the answers be brought down from the heavens. While Aristotle argued that Truth could easily be achieved here on Earth. In the non-spiritual realm. A visual description of Aristotle and Plato's theories of seeking truth is shown in the artist's Michaelangelo's fresco titled School of Athens. There is an image of Plato pointing up to the sky and Aristotle pressing his hand down mid air. The image speaks for itself on the two Platonists view of how to seek truth. One man was looking up while the other was keeping himself in the moment.  The writer Smith continues to say about Aristotle's influence on rhetoric is:
   
     " The Poetics also develops the notion of catharsis ( katharsis) by which emotions are released and the soul is cleansed. In the Poetics, Aristotle focuses on the use of emotions for a consummatory art form" ( Smith, 65).

     So Aristotle expects emotion to play a role in his form of rhetoric. That element along with the previous one's are useful while not forgetting the last element of mimesis. The art of mimicry, imitation, and memorization. I must admit, memorizing is an important tool to have at college and at giving a speech. It is important to remember what your saying before you present your point. Or else your  just some tool up on a podium who is just flinging garbage to whoever is around to hear it, and possibly listen to it. I give points to Aristotle for including the element of mimesis.

     I must also point out that Aristotle's Rhetoric includes the three forms of public address. Part of Aristotle's elements of Form and Organization is three types of speech: Deliberative( political), Epideictic( ceremonial), and Forensic ( legal).  Page 85 of Smith's RHETORIC explains the three types of genres. The text says:
     " A forensic speech is for an audience who will assess the accusation and defense to determine guilt or innocence regarding past acts" ( Smith, 85).
     It was mentioned in the first paragraph that I cited that forensic speaking was needed to bring a speech alive. I think that the other two genres of epideictic and deliberative can be just as able to bring a persons words to life to lift up or press down an audience. Aristotle's theories on speech have made those actions possible in today's world.