Reason, Rhetoric, and Leadership LDSP 379/01 PLSC 379/07 Spring 2005 Wednesday: 2:40-5:20pm Jepson Hall 108 Professor Gary L. McDowell Jepson Hall 135 Office Hours: Wednesday 5:30-6:30 and by appointment [T]he most noble and profitable invention of all other, was that of SPEECH, consisting of Names or Appellations, and their Connexion; whereby men register Their thoughts ; recall them when they are past; and also declare them to one another for mutuall utility and conversation; without which, there had been amongst men, neither Common-wealth, nor Society, nor Contract, nor Peace, no more than amongst Lyons, Bears, and Wolves. — Thomas Hobbes This course will examine the relationship between rhetoric (both speech and writing) and leadership. The underlying objective will be to understand how to translate ideas into practice, how to persuade by making convincing arguments. Our study will proceed by focusing on several of the most historically important speeches and writings, ranging from the speeches within Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War (and a consideration of Thucydides’ own rhetorical purposes in using the speeches in his history) to Winston Churchill in the 20th century. Attendance and participation are expected and will be reflected as part of the final grade (15%). There will also be a final examination (35%), two short papers on topics to be assigned (20%), and a major research paper on a topic to be agreed (30%).Participation will be calculated on quality, not simply quantity. It is expected that all the readings for a given date will be done in advance of that class meeting and everyone will be prepared to discuss the assigned materials. The first short paper assignment will be distributed in class on January 26th ; the paper will be due at the beginning of class on February 9th. The second paper topic will be distributed on March 16th, and will be due at the beginning of class on March 23rd. Late papers will be penalized one letter grade per day, including weekends. The topic for the research paper must be approved in advance. A one-page, double-spaced proposal, accompanied by a preliminary bibliography will be due in class on February 23rd . The paper is due no later than 5:00pm on Monday, April 11th. As with the short paper assignments, late research papers will be penalized one letter grade per day, including weekends. Required Texts: Aristotle, Art of Rhetoric Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War Pauline Maier, American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence Clinton Rossiter, ed., The Federalist Papers Don E. Fehrenbacher, ed., Abraham Lincoln: A Documentary Portrait Don E. Fehrenbacher, Prelude to Greatness: Lincoln in the 1850's Ronald White, Lincoln’s Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural Garry Wills, Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America John Lukacs, Churchill: Visionary, Statesman, Historian Winston S. Churchill, Never Give In: The Greatest Speeches of Winston Churchill Reserved Texts: Wayne Fields, Union of Words: A History of Presidential Eloquence Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Clifford Orwin, The Humanity of Thucydides Leo Strauss, The City and Man I. Reason and Rhetoric in Historical Context: Thucydides’ History (January 12, 19) Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War3 Book I: chapters 1-146, pp. 1-85 Book II: chapters 34-65, pp. 107-127 Book III: chapters 30-49, pp; 174-185; 52-68, pp. 186-197; 77-85, pp. 201-207 Book IV: chapters 66-135, pp. 265-307 Book V: chapters 84-116, pp. 364-372 Book VI: chapters 1-105, pp. 375-440 Book VII: chapters 60-87, pp. 479-499 Book VIII: chapter 1, pp. 503-504 Recommended: Leo Strauss, The City and Man Clifford Orwin, The Humanity of Thucydides II. Rhetoric, Reason, and Human Nature (January 26, February 2) Aristotle, The Art of Rhetoric Book I: chapters 1– 10, pp. 3 – 115 Book II: chapters 1 – 21, pp. 169 – 289 Book III: chapters 1; 13 – 19, pp. 345 – 351, 425 – 471 Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 1-5. John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, book III, chapter 10. Wayne Fields, Union of Words, chapter one. III. Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor: The Declaration of Independence (February 9) The Declaration of Independence4 Pauline Maier, American Scripture Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Roger C. Weightman, 24 June 1826 IV. Government from Reflection and Choice: The Federalist Papers (February 16, 23; March 2) The Constitution Clinton Rossiter, ed., The Federalist Papers Martin Diamond, “Democracy and The Federalist: A Reconsideration of the Framers’ Intent,” American Political Science Review 53 (1959): 52 V. The Better Angels of Our Nature: Abraham Lincoln and the War for the Union (March 16, 23, 30) Don E. Fehrenbacher, Prelude to Greatness: Lincoln in the 1850's Abraham Lincoln, “Speech to the Young Men’s Lyceum,” 27 January 1838 (all Lincoln speeches are in Fehrenbacher, ed., Abraham Lincoln: A Documentary Portrait) ----------------------, “Eulogy on Henry Clay,” 6 July 1852 ----------------------, “Speech at a Republican Banquet,” 10 December 1856 ----------------------, “The House Divided Speech,” 16 June 1858 ----------------------, Letter to Henry L. Pierce, 6 April 1859 ----------------------, “Speech at Columbus, Ohio,” 16 September 1859 ----------------------, “The Cooper Institute Address,” 27 February 18605-----------------------, “First Inaugural Address,” 4 March 1861 -----------------------, “Annual Message to Congress,” 1 December 1862 -----------------------, “The Gettysburg Address,” 19 November 1863 -----------------------, “Second Inaugural Address,” 4 March 1865 Garry Wills, Lincoln at Gettysburg Ronald C. White, Lincoln’s Greatest Speech VI: Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat: Churchill’s Finest Hour (April 6, 13, 20) John Lukacs, Churchill: Visionary, Statesman, Historian Winston Churchill, “Bands of Sturdy Teutonic Youths,” 23 November 1932 , in Winston S. Churchill, ed., Never Give In!, pp. 100-102 (all Churchill speeches are in this volume.) -----------------------, “Wars Come Very Suddenly,” 7 February 1934, pp. 105-107 -----------------------, “Germany Is Arming,” 8 March 1934, pp. 107-108 -----------------------, “A Corridor of Deepening and Darkening Danger,” 31 May 1935, pp.