Monday, April 20, 2015

The Ethics of Expediency

Katz Article
  • a piece can be written "technically correct" if it has all of the parts that the technical piece requires but still have "flaws" in regards to other types of rhetoric (ethics/ethos)
  • in persuasive argument we have learned in my speech class two types:
    • problem solution
    • problem cause solution
  • how can you use logic to persuade
  • making the voice of the argument less personal (to remove responsibility)
  • sometimes technical writing can make a topic trivial and vague emotionally
    • clear, easy to understand
______________________________________________________________________
  • to write well is to have power
    • can do good or bad things
    • Cicero: the good man speaking (ethical, moral)
    • Ex. Hitler, a good speaker, rhetorician, influenced many people --but without virtue
      • "put weapons in the hands of madmen"
  •  what words are not used?
    • "persons", "humans"
  • PROBLEM: that it is so stripped down emotionally on a topic that has a lot of emotion tied to it.
Ethics
  • where do they come from?
    • teachers, parents, peers, Bible, laws (government and natural), religion, conscience, media, societal norms, experience (nature vs. nurture), role models, employer,
  • Philosophy --> Logical (things we don't think about)
  • What's wrong? Why?
    • hitting, cheating, stealing, lying, killing, adultery, incest, selfishness, greed, lust, gluttony, envy, laziness
  •  What's right? What's the value?
    • honesty
    • loyalty
    • protection of property
  • Without ethics?
    • chaos
    • anarchy
    • death

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