Ramble On

I found it really interesting in our reading about how the university classes were taught in two different styles: the lecture and the debate. For a time when rhetoric was supposedly being put on the back-burner, I found it compelling that the debate (which sounded as described like a pretty exciting and involved discussion between teachers and students) is prevalent as a major teaching style. This is probably underlined by the fact that debate isn't very common at all in the education system as far as I can tell. Sure, we have class discussions all of the time, but a heated series of questions and answers? Sounds like fun. And like rhetoric.

I know, I know—dialectic is more like the question and answer theory than anything else, but Aristotle did say that rhetoric is the counterpart to dialectic. Because dialectic is also mentioned as an important part of medieval learning, it seems that perhaps they can be similar for the period. B&H regularly say that rhetoric is on the losing side for a while. In fact, I accidentally read the introduction to the renaissance rhetoric first, and in that section, rhetoric is having an even rougher time, being treated more and more like a science, and grouped as unimportant beyond certain practical applications.

I guess my question is, if I actually have to have a question at all, what did rhetoric ever do to deserve such treatment? Beyond that, what brought it back? The denouncement of classical ideas in a 'civilized' medieval period is no secret, even though, as mentioned by one of our peers, they denounced ideas then adopted them at the same time.

Back to the university thing, it was really interesting to imagine these class debates on whatever the issue would be, and to think about how, no doubt, especially studious learners would go home and try to find some really great ways to get others on their side or make especially potent remarks to the teacher or a peer. It makes me think that an open debate class would be especially fun, considering that an open sort of debate is pretty much key to most human interaction. Let's face it, when love to argue with each other.

And yes, I think all of my blog titles will be wittily applied Led Zepplin song titles.