Topics: The Place to Find Your Argument (Aristotle's Rhetoric pt. 4)

Main Ideas / Concepts

• Rhetoric as finding persuasion

  • Aristotle frames rhetoric as a method to discover the “available means of persuasion” in a given situation.
  • The topics (Greek topoi) are the tools used to locate and develop those means.

• What “topics” are (and aren’t)

  • A topic is not the paper’s subject (e.g., polar bears, jazz).
  • Instead, a topic is a tool/channel/starting point for building arguments—i.e., a place to look for argument strategies.
  • The Greek word topos means “place,” metaphorically suggesting a location where a speaker can find reusable persuasive materials.
  • Aristotle reportedly does not provide a careful definition because the term was presumably already understood in common usage.

• Topics as patterns for argumentation

  • Aristotle’s lists of topics show forms persuasive arguments can take.
  • Even if the topics look like “rules” about the world, they function as argument templates—ways to structure persuasion effectively.
  • They help you predict how audiences reason and what kinds of arguments will land, rather than guaranteeing objective truth.

How Topics Appear in Aristotle’s Rhetoric (with Examples)

1) Topics tied to rhetorical genres (Book 1)

Aristotle lists topics associated with different kinds of rhetoric. Examples include:

• Deliberative rhetoric (advising legislative decisions)

  • To argue about finances, know:
    • what revenues the city has
    • how extensive they are
    • what has been left out (and should be added)
    • what is too small (and could be increased)
  • To argue about war and peace, know:
    • the city’s current power (how great it is)
    • the city’s potential power (how great it can become)
  • To argue about food, know:
    • what level of expenditure is adequate
    • what kinds of food are available
    • what can be imported

• Epideictic rhetoric (praise/blame)

  • If praise is based on actions done with deliberate purpose:
    • show the person acting in accordance with deliberate purpose
    • use evidence of purposeful praiseworthy behavior to support your evaluation

• Judicial rhetoric (courtroom/prosecution-defense)

  • Topics concern how wrongdoing is perceived or probable (not certainties):
    • wrongdoers are less likely to be suspected when their appearance/condition conflicts with the charge
    • example: a weak man is less likely to be suspected of assault
  • The key idea: courts/arguments often work with probabilities and audience expectations.

2) General topics (Book 2 near the end)

Aristotle also describes general topics usable in many situations/genres—generic reasoning templates, such as:

• Arguments from opposites

  • e.g., establish something positive (self-control) by contrasting it with something negative (lack of self-control)

• Time-based reasoning

  • e.g., persuade someone to reward you by pointing out they would have promised/rewarded you before you acted

• Causal reasoning

  • using cause-effect relationships to support a claim

• Comparisons and contradictions

  • reasoning using likeness/differences or pointing out conflicting positions/claims

Methodology / “Process” Conveyed (Detailed Steps)

1. Step 1: Use topoi as a discovery tool

   • Treat topics as tools for finding “available means of persuasion” in your specific context.

2. Step 2: Choose topics that match your genre and purpose

   • If you’re arguing about finances/war/food, consult deliberative-type topics.
   • If you’re praising/blaming someone, use epideictic-type topics.
   • If you’re defending or accusing in a courtroom context, use judicial-type topics (often probability-based).

3. Step 3: Convert topics into argument structures

   • Topics help you build persuasive forms, such as:
     • framing someone as the “kind of person” likely to commit the act
     • constructing a praise-based narrative tied to deliberate purpose
     • using probability cues rather than absolutes

4. Step 4: Use general topics as reusable reasoning templates

   • Apply generic templates like:
     • opposites
     • time-based expectations
     • cause/effect links
     • comparisons/contradictions

5. Step 5: Don’t memorize everything—adapt strategically

   • You don’t need to memorize all topics; instead, use them as:
     • inspiration, or
     • descriptions of common argument “channels” audiences naturally follow.

6. Step 6: Observe audience patterns

   • Be a “thoughtful observer”:
     • listen to how your audience tends to think
     • identify what patterns they use to form judgments
     • adjust your argument so it fits their expectations

7. Step 7: Focus on persuasive fit, not objective certainty

   • Rhetoric works with everyday subjective realities:
     • audiences may not debate definitions of truth as experts do
     • they care more about how to live and decide
   • Therefore, persuasion is about aligning with how people actually judge.

Core takeaway: Topics function less like guarantees of truth and more like structured ways to match persuasion to audience reasoning and context.

Sources / Speakers Mentioned

• Aristotle (main subject; Rhetoric, Books 1 and 2 referenced)
• George A. Kennedy (translator/commentator of Aristotle; cited for the meaning/interpretation of topos)