A Rhetoric of Science: Inventing Scientific Discourse

by Lawrence J. Prelli

Prelli (communication, U. of New Hampshire at Durham) looks at the special problems and values governing the communicative practices of scientists. He demonstrated that when scientists address their claims to other scientists, they create a special kind of rhetoric with rules that distinguish "scientific" discourse from other discourse, and allow claims to be judged as "scientific" or not. He examines the design of scientific arguments, and the grounds on which they persuade and are evaluated as peculiarly scientific claims. For scholars in communications and philosophy of science. Acidic paper. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Hardcover

First published December 31, 1989

Reviews

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prelli analyzes scientific discourse using what he calls the topical method in which he employs Aristotle's topoi and Kenneth Burke's concept of terministic screens. He claims that scientists construct arguments in a specific way--drawing from particular topics that rely on certain norms--and provides analysis of numerous case studies.

It's an interesting read and was immensely helpful during the composition of my master's thesis.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit recursive, but a good overall argument for approaching scientific discourse through rhetoric. He primarily relies on Cicero, Quintilian and Aristotle to construct his system of analysis, which works well overall.