Responding to the Sacred: An Inquiry into the Limits of Rhetoric

Rhetoricians can provide an account of our lived experience by studying our use of language, but the concept of the sacred reveals phenomena that transcend the human and physical and cannot be expressed fully by language. This book explores the possibility of the sacred and the challenge it poses to rhetorical inquiry, featuring essays by scholars of various rhetorical traditions and engaging with religious rhetorics, rationalist, scientific, and postmodern rhetorics, and studying divination, sacred texts, and the uncanny algorithms of Big Data.

Format: Hardback
Length: 286 pages
Publication date: 17 March 2021
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

Language is a powerful tool that allows us to name and define the world around us. By studying the way we use language, rhetoricians can provide an account of the things we encounter and the experiences we live. However, the concept of the sacred presents a challenge to rhetoric, as it encompasses phenomena that transcend the human and physical realm and cannot be fully expressed through language.

The sacred reveals the limitations of rhetoric in several ways. Firstly, it suggests that there are experiences and phenomena that cannot be captured or described through the rational and empirical methods of rhetoric. This raises the question of how we can engage with the sacred and understand its significance.

Secondly, the sacred challenges the notion that language is a neutral and objective tool. It suggests that language is imbued with cultural and religious meanings that shape our understanding of the world. This means that the way we speak and write can influence our perception of the sacred and our ability to communicate about it.

Thirdly, the sacred raises the question of the relationship between language and power. It suggests that language can be used to establish and maintain power structures, as well as to challenge and subvert them. This means that rhetoricians need to be aware of the power dynamics at play in their work and how they can use language to promote social justice and equality.

Despite these challenges, the concept of the sacred also presents opportunities for rhetoric. By studying the sacred, rhetoricians can gain a deeper understanding of the human experience and the world around us. They can also develop new rhetorical practices that are capable of engaging with the ineffable and promoting social change.

One way that rhetoric can engage with the sacred is by studying religious rhetorics. Religious rhetorics refers to the way in which religious texts, speeches, and rituals are used to communicate about the sacred and to establish and maintain religious beliefs and practices. By studying religious rhetorics, rhetoricians can gain insight into the ways in which language is used to convey religious meaning and the ways in which religious beliefs and practices are shaped by language.

Another way that rhetoric can engage with the sacred is by studying rationalist, scientific, and postmodern rhetorics. These rhetorics are often associated with a secular or non-religious perspective, but they can also be used to explore the sacred. For example, rationalist rhetorics can be used to study the ways in which scientific knowledge is used to establish and maintain power structures, while postmodern rhetorics can be used to explore the ways in which language is used to construct and deconstruct reality.

In addition to studying religious and rationalist rhetorics, rhetoricians can also engage with the sacred by studying the uncanny algorithms of Big Data. Big Data refers to the vast amounts of data that are generated by digital technologies and that are used to analyze and predict human behavior. By studying the uncanny algorithms of Big Data, rhetoricians can gain insight into the ways in which data is used to establish and maintain power structures and the ways in which data can be used to challenge and subvert these structures.

Finally, rhetoricians can engage with the sacred by studying Hélène Cixouss sacred passages and passwords. Cixouss is a French feminist writer who has written extensively about the relationship between language and power. She argues that language is used to establish and maintain power structures, but that it can also be used to challenge and subvert these structures. By studying Cixouss sacred passages and passwords, rhetoricians can gain insight into the ways in which language is used to convey meaning and the ways in which language can be used to promote social change.

In conclusion, the concept of the sacred presents a challenge to rhetoric, but it also presents opportunities for rhetoric. By studying religious rhetorics, rationalist, scientific, and postmodern rhetorics, the uncanny algorithms of Big Data, and Hélène Cixouss sacred passages and passwords, rhetoricians can gain a deeper understanding of the human experience and the world around us. They can also develop new rhetorical practices that are capable of engaging with the ineffable and promoting social change.

Weight: 576g
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271089577