Rhetorical Analysis Of The Liberal Arts Are Dead

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David Whalen’s intent in his article, “The Liberal Arts are Dead: Long Live the Liberal Arts” appears to be an appeal to young students preparing for or just starting college and contemplating what they will study. The appeal is a supplication for consideration of the liberal arts as a foundation upon which to build a career. Whalen specifically credits the liberal arts as the basis of one's ability to apply rhetoric in their theories and arguments; that is, the liberal arts teaches us how to effectively persuade others to follow our messages. Whalen states that one can easily recognize a fallacy; it is an art, however, to argue against such fallacies, and that a proper liberal arts education enhances one's ability to think, read, reason, and …show more content…
Whalen demonstrates unwavering passion and authority throughout his article, letting the reader know that he is a knowledgeable authority on the subject, that he knows what he is talking about, and so that the reader should trust what he is communicating. Whalen expresses his viewpoint that liberal arts are important in a way that draws the reader in and creates a sense of assurance that he has their best interest in mind; he makes it clear that he wants others to benefit from what the liberal arts has to offer. This aspect relates to ethos’ ethical standpoint in that the speaker does not intend to cause the reader harm, nor would he benefit from any sway towards them taking an interest in the liberal arts, but rather that the reader would benefit by developing a stronger intellect by engaging in the study of liberal arts. Whalen discusses that in order to fully grasp a fallacy, one must make use of the skills developed in the study of the liberal arts. His evocative statements create the appearance that he is insinuating that anti-liberal arts arguers act on the personal incredulity fallacy, meaning they must not fully understand just what the liberal arts are or what it has to offer to students and society as a

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