A discussion of the Rhetoric’s by Aristotle, explaining the concept and a few similarities with the works of Plato’s Phaedrus.
This paper examines Aristotle’s definition of rhetoric as a neutral tool which can be used for either good or bad purposes by both the virtuous as well as the depraved individuals. The paper describes the use of rhetoric in public addresses and outlines Plato’s input on the receptiveness of audiences.
Aristotle thus terms rhetoric as a neutral tool, which can be used for either of the good or bad purposes by both the virtuous as well as the depraved individuals. Accepting his art of rhetoric’s ability to be misused, he even proposes certain factors that can be used to overturn the misuse of rhetoric’s, for example rhetoric is true for all goods, except for virtue, that it is better used in convincing the just and the good as compared to the unjust and wrong arguments, and that the benefits of rhetoric’s outweigh its misuse.