Zen in the Art of Rhetoric: An Inquiry into CoherenceState University of New York Press, 1995 M11 16 - 220 pages Zen in the Art of Rhetoric interrogates the role of dualistic thought in human communication and culture, and offers new insights into the similarities and differences that mark Eastern and Western conceptualizations of language. Beginning with a reconsideration of the relationship between Zen Buddhism and rhetoric, the book progresses through a series of essays that examines the epistemological assumptions shared by pre-classical and postmodern rhetorics and Buddhist metaphysics, suggesting that the conception of rhetoric articulated by the Greek Sophists parallels the questioning of duality posed by Zenists as well as the critique of negation advanced by some postmodern theorists. Drawing on poetry, personal narratives, critical analysis, and epistemological explorations, this book expands traditional conceptions of rhetoric beyond an "art of persuasion" to a power to manage diverse conceptions of reality, freeing the study and practice of discourse from the essentializing constraints of foundationist philosophy. As an "inquiry into coherence," the book explores social, political, and pedagogical issues ranging from racism, to cultural and ethnic diversity, to the role of argument and persuasion in the creation and perpetuation of difference. The result of this exploration is an understanding of rhetoric as a Tao, a Way of being, thinking, and speaking grounded in what the author calls "dialogic coherence," an actively non-argumentative approach to language, life, and method that is based upon the philosophies and practices of the Eastern martial arts. |
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Allan Bloom American mind analysis ancient approach argues argument articulated assumptions beginner's mind believe Bohm Buddhism calls into question classical coherence communication conceptions contemporary critique culture D. T. Suzuki David Bohm debate deep democracy dialectical dialogue emancipatory emphasizes ence epistemic epistemological essay essence essential essentialist existence experience explains explication explore feminist foundationism gender Gorgias grounded Habermas human ideal speech situation illustrates implications interaction judgment justificatory strategies knowledge koan language Lanham logic Lyotard martial arts modern negative difference offers oppositional criticism paradox perspective persuasion Phaedrus Pirsig's Plato possibility postmodern postmodern rhetoric practice praxis principles privileged discourse problem problematic Protagoras provides quantum physics race relations racism rational reality realm recognize reflect relationship rhetoric of physics rhetoric of science rhetorical ideal rhetorical theory social Socrates Sophists suggests symbolic teachers teaching Thrasymachus tion tive traditional transcend transformation truth understanding University Western words writing
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Page 25 - It is proposed . . . that the widespread and pervasive distinctions between people (race, nation, family, profession, etc., etc.), which are now preventing mankind from working together for the common good, and indeed, even for survival, have one of the key factors of their origin in a kind of thought that treats things as inherently divided, disconnected, and 'broken up' into yet smaller constituent parts.