Rhetoric and Critical Thinking
As I was contemplating about what my views are on critical and rhetorical thinking, I found myself struggling with forming my opinions on the subject. In my experience, I have always been taught in depth about what critical thinking is, but never rhetorical thinking. Rhetorical thinking deals with using a persuasive use of language by appealing to emotion. Critical thinking is about engaging in reflective and independent thinking.
Do people speak differently with friends than they do with teachers? Yes, they do. They craft a persona that will enthrall their audience based on whom they are speaking with, and what the situation is during the conversation; for example, a job interview. The way someone presents himself in an interview is not the way he would act around his friends. He is better mannered, alert, his voice and tone changes, and he tries to exhibit himself as the perfect person for the job; he is thinking rhetorically. Business majors often study rhetorical philosophies in order to understand, discover, and develop arguments for certain situations. They want to learn how to accommodate their persona to whatever communication situation they might encounter by appealing to their customer’s emotions.
Thinking rhetorically can have disadvantages. For example, as someone is observing the setting, he is generalizing the situation by applying preconceived ideas or judgments. He does this by using whatever evidence he sees, which may not always be true, ending up with the wrong conclusions.
Critical thinking is not about being critical of a topic or someone, but is rather about examining the situation in a disciplined way, identifying key points and connecting them together between ideas, and building arguments to devise the best outcome after scrutinizing the facts. In depth questions during discussions can improve critical thinking skills because they require a person to use what he already knows. This way of thinking can help enhance his work process,
Do people speak differently with friends than they do with teachers? Yes, they do. They craft a persona that will enthrall their audience based on whom they are speaking with, and what the situation is during the conversation; for example, a job interview. The way someone presents himself in an interview is not the way he would act around his friends. He is better mannered, alert, his voice and tone changes, and he tries to exhibit himself as the perfect person for the job; he is thinking rhetorically. Business majors often study rhetorical philosophies in order to understand, discover, and develop arguments for certain situations. They want to learn how to accommodate their persona to whatever communication situation they might encounter by appealing to their customer’s emotions.
Thinking rhetorically can have disadvantages. For example, as someone is observing the setting, he is generalizing the situation by applying preconceived ideas or judgments. He does this by using whatever evidence he sees, which may not always be true, ending up with the wrong conclusions.
Critical thinking is not about being critical of a topic or someone, but is rather about examining the situation in a disciplined way, identifying key points and connecting them together between ideas, and building arguments to devise the best outcome after scrutinizing the facts. In depth questions during discussions can improve critical thinking skills because they require a person to use what he already knows. This way of thinking can help enhance his work process,