Rhetoric

Rhetoric is flattery unless joined to knowledge of truth; the orator who persuades without knowing what is just does harm.

Rhetoric is the counterpart of dialectic; persuasion works through character, emotion, and argument.

Sacred rhetoric must combine truth with persuasion; the preacher's moral character is itself an argument.

Rhetoric is dangerous because metaphor breeds confusion; clear definitions, not eloquence, serve the Commonwealth.

Rhetoric is an instrument of error; figurative speech belongs to wit, not judgment, and impedes the pursuit of truth.

Eloquence moves men through sentiment; the passions, not reason, determine action.

Oratory as the art of deceiving by beautiful illusion is unworthy of respect; only honest persuasion consistent with moral autonomy is admissible.

Political rhetoric must address passion and interest honestly; the Federalist Papers exemplify persuasion in the service of constitutional reason.

Free speech and open debate are the conditions under which rhetoric can serve truth; suppressed opinion may contain truth that society needs.

Democratic rhetoric is prone to vagueness and abstraction; equality flattens eloquence even as it multiplies speakers.