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 this week, write a 750-1,000-word rough draft essay in which you do one of the following:
- Describe the original understanding of sophistry and contrast that understanding with its common understanding today.
- Analyze the role of rhetoric in knowledge (according to the Gorgias). How has this role changed today?
Use the GCU Library to locate at least two additional resources to support your essay.
You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
This submission is the rough draft of the History of Persuasion Essay. Submitting the rough draft of the assignment provides you with the opportunity to make revisions before the final submission of the essay.
The rough draft will be reviewed by your instructor. Your instructor will provide you feedback on the assignment. You are encouraged to apply the instructor feedback to the final draft of your essay.
Submit the assignment according to the directions provided by the instructor.
