Rhetorical Perspectivism: an Epistemologically Meaningful Response to Incommensurability

Date of Graduation

Summer 1994

Degree

Master of Arts in Communication

Department

Communication

Committee Chair

Holt Spicer

Abstract

Traditional views of rhetoric have combined with modern field theory and epistemics to bifurcate rhetoric and dialectic. Therefore, conflicting knowledge claims are considered incommensurate conflicts. This study is designed to investigate the relationship between communication and knowledge and suggest an epistemologically meaningful response to incommensurability. Rhetorical perspectivism is reviewed as a theory of rhetorical epistemology, and applied to the McLean v. Arkansas evolution/creation trial. The study found that the theory provides significant insight into the creation/evolution conflict. The results suggest future possiblities for the study of rhetorical epistemology, particularly rhetorical perspectivism.

Subject Categories

Communication

Copyright

© Brett A Miller

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

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