A Practical Approach to Teaching Rhetorical Theory

Although much has been written in our journals concerning the teaching of rhetorical criticism, less attention has been given to the teaching of rhetorical theory. This essay provides a practical approach to teaching a course in rhetorical theory and suggests assessment strategies that encourage students to find the relevance of rhetorical theory in their own lives. Student responses to these strategies as implemented in the author's rhetorical theory class are also included

A Practical Approach to Teaching Rhetorical Theory

Although much has been written in our journals concerning the teaching of rhetorical criticism, less attention has been given to the teaching of rhetorical theory. This essay provides a practical approach to teaching a course in rhetorical theory and suggests assessment strategies that encourage students to find the relevance of rhetorical theory in their own lives. Student responses to these strategies as implemented in the author's rhetorical theory class are also included

Love, Emotion and the Singularity

Proponents of the singularity hypothesis have argued that there will come a point at which machines will overtake us not only in intelligence but that machines will also have emotional capabilities. However, human cognition is not something that takes place only in the brain; one cannot conceive of human cognition without embodiment. This essay considers the emotional nature of cognition by exploring the most human of emotions—romantic love. By examining the idea of love from an evolutionary and a physiological perspective, the author suggests that in order to account for the full range of human cognition, one must also account for the emotional aspects of cognition. The paper concludes that if there is to be a singularity that transcends human cognition, it must be embodied. As such, the singularity could not be completely non-organic; it must take place in the form of a cyborg, wedding the digital to the biological

Love, Emotion and the Singularity

Proponents of the singularity hypothesis have argued that there will come a point at which machines will overtake us not only in intelligence but that machines will also have emotional capabilities. However, human cognition is not something that takes place only in the brain; one cannot conceive of human cognition without embodiment. This essay considers the emotional nature of cognition by exploring the most human of emotions—romantic love. By examining the idea of love from an evolutionary and a physiological perspective, the author suggests that in order to account for the full range of human cognition, one must also account for the emotional aspects of cognition. The paper concludes that if there is to be a singularity that transcends human cognition, it must be embodied. As such, the singularity could not be completely non-organic; it must take place in the form of a cyborg, wedding the digital to the biological