Rhetoric as Philosophy from Isocrates to the Age of Abelard and Heloise

College
Instructor(s)
Course Code ICH5720HS
Semester Second Semester
Section 0101
Online No
Credits One Credit
Location Toronto (St George Campus)
Description

This seminar examines the ancient and medieval discipline of rhetoric and its practitioners' claim that it represents a properly philosophical discourse. It does so in terms of a selection of texts drawn from the works of Isocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Abelard and Heloise. In the process, it explores the relationship between affectivity and discursive validity with a view to the effect such a focus has on our understanding of Greek and Latin philosophy, patristic and medieval theology and their intertwined history. The course will run as a seminar in which instructor and students together attend closely to weekly required readings. Students will be required to write weekly papers (400- 600 words) on the weekly readings. In addition, each student will be required to make one formal seminar presentation on a weekly reading that will include written material of between 1200- 1800 words. Finally each student will be required to write a course paper on a topic agreed upon by student and instructor. MA/ ThM level students will be required to write a paper of between 4500 and 7500 words. PhD/ ThD students will be required to write a paper of between 6000 and 9000 words. Each of the three forms of writing mentioned above will be subject to evaluation and the final grade of the course will be calculated as follows: weekly papers (25%), seminar presentation (15%), course essay (60%). 
 

Crosslisted to (1) Theological
Schedule Tue
Start Time 9:30
End Time 12:30
Minimum Enrolment 0
Maximum Enrolment 0
Means of Evaluation
Other
Currently Offered Winter 2013