YES, WE ALL HAVE PHYSICAL & MENTAL NATURES. But, IMO, there is a third component, SPIRITURE.
Scientists at SAGG--feel free to challenge me on this!
Let us have a dialogue about what I like to call:
THE THREE ESSENTIAL HUMAN COMPONENTS, OK?
It is my opinion we
ARE SPIRITURES--that is, Spiritual and Self-AWARE human beings. We are responsible to nurture our natures to be of service to G~Õ~D--that is, total REALITY, others and self.
RHETORIC? The art of discourse, using words to persuade and influence others. Obviously like all the arts--and I include the philosophies, religions and sciences--it can be used for good or evil. When used for good of course, it is
... an art that aims to improve the capability of writers or speakers that attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western tradition.
Beware of the negative use of rhetoric, especially rhetorical questions.
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS? (RQ) Are usually asked only for effect, to put others on the defensive, to start a fight and often in the form of putting down another, not to get useful information.
For example, who do
you think
YOU are? is a
RQ. So is, who taught YOU how to drive?
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK?BTW, I have never had this experience, physically--I have in other ways. If it ever happened physically, and I survived the blow, here is what I have in mind to say, as calmly as possible:
"BEWARE, I have only ONE cheek left. And I am prepared to defend it, OK!" [BTW 2, I have actually preached on this saying of Jesus. Later, I will comment more ... ]
SOPHISTRY? A cleaver but misleading argument.
Here is some of what Plato said about it:
... another key rhetorical theorist, Plato defined the scope of rhetoric according to his negative opinions of the art.
He criticized the Sophists for using rhetoric as a means of deceit instead of discovering truth.
In "Gorgias," one of his Socratic Dialogues, Plato defines rhetoric as the persuasion of ignorant masses within the courts and assemblies.
Rhetoric, in Plato's opinion, is merely a form of flattery and functions similarly to cookery, which masks the undesirability of unhealthy food by making it taste good.
Thus, Plato considered any speech of lengthy prose aimed at flattery as within the scope of rhetoric.
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BTW, I have learned
NOT to waste time and energy trying to have
a dialogue,or a
DEBATE with people who fear being known as real people--whose location is "everywhere and nowhere".
THE ART OF DEBATING? ....................LATER.
