Galen of Pergamum is principally famous for his works on anatomy, medicine and moral philosophy. He is also noted for his acerbic temperament, his affirmations of his own brilliance and his denigration of the education, morals and lifestyle of his medical opponents and of anyone who viewed differently the things that he held dear. On his arrival in Rome he used a variety of techniques reminiscent of those used by the sophists in order to establish his place amongst the social and intellectual elite both as a physician and as a philosopher. At this and later points in his career his rhetoric emphasised the quality of his Greek education which included a thorough grounding in mathematics. He also appealed to his philosophic lifestyle and to his social connections in Rome in order to differentiate himself from the general run of doctors and to promote his own agenda. In this dissertation I examine his writings with the object of testing the validity of Galen’s claims in these areas and, in the process, to come to a deeper understanding the social and intellectual environments that formed him and with which he interacted. Special attention is given to his literary and rhetorical education and his knowledge of the exact sciences. One consequence of studying his training in rhetoric was the reconstruction of a rhetorical template which, though of a kind possibly mentioned in passing by Quintilian, is not to be found in any of the extant manuals on rhetoric. In the matter of the exact sciences particular consideration is given to his knowledge of geometry and the construction of sundials, as his views on these subjects form the foundation to his approach to philosophical and medical knowledge. Thus a substantial section is devoted to the manner in which Galen could have gained his certainty in these matters. ¶ Galen's rhetoric also makes much of his family's social status and his personal relationship to the royal court. These matters are examined in relationship to our present knowledge of Greek society and the familia Caesaris at the time. A consequence of this latter enquiry was some insights into the work habits of Marcus Aurelius. ¶ Galen not only wished to be known as Rome's leading physician and anatomist but also as one who practised the philosophic lifestyle. The background to Galen's decision in this last matter is assessed together with an examination of passages that while suggesting that much of his language and sentiment was a reflection of Platonic values also show that his commitment to a life of asceticism was real. ¶ What also emerges in this study is that there was considerable tension between the world in which he wished to live and the world as it was. This shows especially in his aggressive rejection of the salutatio and other Roman social conventions, his frustration at the early reception of his medical theories and teaching, and his desire to sustain the educated koine Greek of his homeland against the social pressures which were attempting to restrict educated Greek to the dialect and vocabulary of ancient Attica.

This thesis considers the philosophical importance of the literary form of two aphoristic works of philosophy: Nietzsche’s Human, All Too Human and Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations. Though both these German-speaking philosophers are widely thought to be aphorists, there is little consensus about what exactly is aphoristic about their individual or shared literary forms. While their philosophies and forms of aphorisms are quite different in practice, this thesis argues that Nietzsche’s and Wittgenstein’s modes of aphoristic expression are essential to their philosophical projects in these works. This thesis also explores the particular challenges of interpreting aphorisms in a philosophical context. Though aphorisms have various literary qualities, their status as discrete pieces of philosophy is of greatest interest here. Nietzsche and Wittgenstein match their piecework form of writing to various philosophical goals they set themselves. Their success as highly stylized, aphoristic philosophers is particularly remarkable in light of conventional philosophical writing, which is generally conducted in a much less “fragmented” form. By examining the styles, forms, structures, rhetorics, and interpretations of these two works, this thesis investigates the necessity and practice of their intriguing and difficult modes of expression.

This essay has identified and analysed rhetorical devices in Gordon Brown’s speech delivered at the Labour Party conference on September 25, 2006. The aim of the study was to identify specific rhetorical devices which are described as interactional resources, analyse their uses and discuss possible effects that they may have when included in a political speech. The results are based on my own interpretations but are supported by information provided in current literature by analysts and researchers of rhetoric use. The result findings could probably serve as evidence of the need for better understanding of the devices used by politicians in their relentless endeavours to influence audience decisions.

This thesis shows the development and shifts in rhetorical form as strategies evolve to meet heresthetic demands. This thesis explores the rhetorical crisis that emerged between the Democratic Party and the Mississippi Freedom Party at the 1964 Democratic Convention. Specifically, the focus is on the rhetorical discourse presented by the members of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Fannie Lou Hamer in particular, at the Credentials Committee two days before the onset of the actual Convention. It is the rhetorical interplay in the specific context of the Committee, the subsequent political bargaining behind the scenes during the next four days of the Convention, and the emerging and evolving constraints as a result of this bargaining that illuminate the symbolic power and limitations behind a rhetoric aimed at redefining race in the nation??s social and political consciousness.

This project attempts to bridge the gap between organizational theory and political rhetoric by approaching the study of the George W. Bush administration through the lens of Weick's theory of organizing. I specifically argue for the Bush administration as a tightly coupled system, as demonstrated by the media and the members of the administration themselves. Second, I argue for the constraining nature of the enacted environment through an analysis of the administration's position on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. I find that Bush's decision to veto stem cell legislation in 2006 was a consequence of his identity as an Evangelical Christian and of his definition of what it means to be a leader. Finally, I argue for the importance of requisite variety in the administration's rhetorical constructions of the problems facing Social Security and the proposed methods of program reform. The administration's proposal demonstrates the necessity for a rhetorical "matching" between the construction of the problem and the construction of the solution. Finally, I turn to Crable and situate the findings within Crable's model of organizational rhetoric.

Thesis (M. Div.)--Baptist Bible Graduate School of Theology, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-57).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Syracuse University, 2009. / "Publication number: AAT 3385836."

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Communication and Culture, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Feb. 10, 2010). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: A, page: . Adviser: Carolyn Calloway-Thomas.

Inaug.-Diss.--Leipzig, 1934.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.