Discuss how rhetoricians should act ethically, and describe that ideal position as “lovers” – the wisdom-lover for Plato, the noble lover for Weaver and the Arguer as Lover for Brockriede.

In your first thought essay you explored rhetoric’s definition and applied it to how someone else used it. For this thought essay you are asked to look at how you use it. Plato, Brockriede and Weaver all discuss how rhetoricians should act ethically, and describe that ideal position as “lovers” – the wisdom-lover for Plato, the noble lover for Weaver and the Arguer as Lover for Brockriede. Bakhtin and Burke discuss how rhetoric can impact others. Consider what it means to be a “lover” when practicing rhetoric, and then respond to the following prompt.

Prompt: Pick a situation in which you were a rhetor. Were you a “noble lover”, or were you an “evil lover?” Set the context and examine your rhetorical decision through the eyes of Plato, Weaver, Brockriede, Bakhtin and/or Burke. Justify your response with specific examples and references to course concepts from Part 5 &