For Episode 123 Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker waded a little deeper into the topic of advanced thinking skills. Now in Episode 124 they continue the conversation and go even deeper, exploring Aristotle and the ancient art of rhetoric. More than two thousand years ago, Aristotle developed and described this art and what are termed the “Common Topics of Invention.”
Today, rhetoric is frequently thought of as a negative thing, but what the term actually means is the art of persuasion. Certainly, rhetoric may be wielded in an unsavory or unethical manner, but it can also be utilized to reveal great truths. As such, it is a powerful tool in education and in life.
In today’s culture many educators are asking themselves whether it is valuable to teach students critical thinking skills since virtually unlimited facts are available literally at the touch of a button or screen. Listen to the podcast to learn why critical thinking skills are so important to learn. And if you have a student in or nearing high school, check out IEW’s High School Essay Intensive, where students learn the art of thinking critically while honing their essay writing skills.
