The purpose of this assignment is to show your understanding of the concepts surrounding the genesis of persuasion as a focused area of study among scholars. By analyzing the thoughts of the first and most prominent persuasive theorists, you will be able to build upon a foundation of the laws of thought as they govern all formation of concepts, judgments, and arguments.
It is not possible in the time provided to cover every theory of persuasion from ancient times to present. Therefore, pick one persuasive theorist from Ancients (e.g., Cicero, Plato, Aristotle, Protagoras, Gorgias) and one modern theorist. For each, explain how they understood persuasion and how this would have influenced their communication behaviors. Provide specific illustrations to support the connections you make.
After thoughtfully reading the articles/chapters assigned last week, write a 750-1,000-word final draft essay in which you do one of the following:
1. Describe the original understanding of sophistry and contrast that understanding with its common understanding today.
2. Analyze the role of rhetoric in knowledge (according to the Gorgias). How has this role changed today?