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The Study of Rhetoric Essay

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The Study of Rhetoric
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"The study of rhetoric traditionally has aimed to equip students with an ability to identify problems and issues, to investigate, to interpret, and to communicate results -- whatever the subject matter. These abilities require higher-level thinking, not just skills; analysis and evaluation, not just observation . . . . The study emphasizes strategies and practice rather than a body of facts and contemplation; thus the study of rhetoric aims for social application. Students are studying rhetoric in a technical communication course even though they may never hear of Aristotle nor study history and theory of rhetoric. Identifying a problem, gathering, interpreting, and arranging information, …show more content…

Because definitions are a product of rigid, formal thinking, quality cannot be defined."
(ZMM -- Pirsig 206)

Pirsig, a theorist as well as a rhetorician would see the approach as the right idea. Students should be faced with challenges that require demonstration of understanding as well as some demonstration of quality. I know that stating Pirsig feels students need to demonstrate some effort towards quality is reaching, but I think that is what he is truly looking for students (his in particular) to be able to understand and demonstrate. I feel that this is what you are trying to establish with us as students in your class as well.

Flaws are found in this methodology of education, Pirsig sees that students need to be taught Quality but, "…how are you to teach something that isn't premeditated? It was a seemingly impossible requirement." (Pirsig 176) Struggling with this concept leads one to believe that students must develop a sense of Quality based on what they feel. There is no prescriptive method to teach students to produce Quality. Pirsig's major problem with this whole concept is that he does not have a true understanding of Quality, and rightfully so. How is one supposed to determine Quality?

Here's how Pirsig (in my eyes) might respond to Carolyn Rude; students should be introduced to methodology in order to make valid attempts but the "answers" are to be derived from students applying effort to a goal,

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