Genres and Mediums

Throughout this course, so far we have discussed about a particular sphere and the notions of different representations of scientific discourse. From Grant-Davie to Palmer, the readings that stuck out to me the most was Rettberg, and Miller/Shepherd. Rettberg’s analogies and simple directions into how to correctly blog were insightful yet understandable. But then one calls the question of, what if one is incorrectly using blogging and it only hinders there message through the medium? Blogging can be misused and misread just like any other form of context. Rettberg quotes from another theorist Evan Williams who said, “frequency, brevity and personality” is what describes blogging.

Miller and Shepherd explain in their article that genre has multiple meanings and not one solid definition. Genre defined by the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary means, category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content. However, let’s say I want to choose Comedy (a genre) which would be my medium. But there are so many different types of comedy such as slapstick. Can’t at that moment in time Comedy serve as a medium? “With the medium of blogs, you might then identify different genres and sub-genres…” (Rettberg)

Logic

In Jeanne Fahnestock’s, “The Stases in Scientific and Literary Argument,” mentions at the beginning of her article that “We tend to treat classical rhetoric as a source of basic rhetorical concepts rather than as an instrument capable of performing the kind of intricate analysis of audience and context for which we turn to modern rhetoricians.” (Fahnestock477) However, we have not taken much into account the classical rhetorical definition of invention and the connection to audience and discourse. Aristotle created the five canons and maybe it is about time to not exactly change his methods but perfect them and pull out different perspectives and approaches. When Jeanne begins explaining her theory she mentions that Stases follow a logical, hierarchical order. They generate engaging questions but it also takes into account when each question is going to be asked. But what if you can predict the claims that can attempt to answer or assumed which question was to be asked? In the end, it all turns back to logic. 

In Killingsworth and Palmer’s “Rhetoric and Environmental Politics in America,” speak of logic but with a different approach. They mention words like “realist” and “positivist” and “epistemology,” which all have one thing in common, devotion to facts. These are applied in a scientific way that reveal certain decisions. “In the search for discourse types that fill this gap and take up instrumental and rhetorical writing in the hope of bringing consciousness to bear on action…” (Killingsworth/Palmer160)

DiSalvo & Lehrer- Blog 1

For this short assignment I decided two read the two blogs by John Lehrer and David DiSalvo. Both very different types of blogs with how each blogger approaches their message, however, still very similar as well. DiSalvo’s blog reminded me of an online newspaper template which was very easy to read and search for his blog posts. I chose to read, “Can Energy Drinks Cause Heart Attacks?” The reason I chose this particular blog post is because I am addicted Redbull; it is the equivalent of the “coffee in the morning” routine. So, immediately I felt a connection from rhtetor to audience member once I came across this title. DiSalvo made it a point to show his readers and followers by providing statistics to his scientific study of energy drinks and if  really cause heart attacks and possible death. DiSalvo mentions the FDA and the AAPCC-NPDS as a part of his results and proof of his hypothesis and message. Grant-Davie’s article came to mind when I read DiSalvo’s blog post. Grant-Davie exclaim, “…that a rhetorical situation is partly, but not wholly, created by the rhetor… ‘receptivity’- the ability to respond to the conditions and demands of individual situations.” (Grant-Davie 263). DiSalvo uses exigence to co-play his receptivity throughout his discourse.

John Lehrer has a completely different approach to his audiences. The perfect sound of eloquence in his language along with the exigence being used as well; easy enough, Lehrer got my attention with just his blogging template. I chose to read his blog post, “Why Does Beauty Exist?” The title alone is so bold, I only grew curious as seconds went by. Lehrer explains in detail that curiosity is what leads to finding beauty. His theory is, “Beauty is a particularly potent and intense form of curiosity.” But why is this so crucial and important to one’s life? It is the same question with, why is discourse needed? Grant-Davie say it results in fact and definition, “establishing that the subject exists and characterizing it, identifying the source of the subject and its consequences, to examining its importance and quality.” (Grant-Davie 266). The integrity that embellishes throughout Lehrer’s writing shows the different strategies and their affectability to any given situation can be successful.