Rhetorical theory in the twenty‐first century: A neo‐classical perspective

Abstract

Neoclassical rhetorical theory shares much in common with its more visible post‐modern and deconstructionist contemporaries. With these other strands of rhetorical thought neoclassical theory affirms the importance of grounding theory in local conditions and is wary of the potential tyranny of universalizing perspectives. Unlike postmodernism the neo‐classical critique of “universalizing perspectives” is motivated by the need to defend the cognitive and methodological integrity of prudential and ethical reason and to discredit scientistic ideologies which encourage the enlightenment superstition that thought may be reduced to a system.