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  3. A "scientistic" view of language was dominant among philosophers and linguists

A "scientistic" view of language was dominant among philosophers and linguists

游客2023-12-16  23
问题   A "scientistic" view of language was dominant among philosophers and linguists who affected to develop a scientific analysis of human thought and behavior in the early part of this century, Under the force of this view, it was perhaps inevitable that the art of rhetoric should pass from the status of being regarded as of questionable worth (because although it might be both a source of pleasure and a means to urge people to right action, it might also be a means to distort truth and a source of misguided action) to the status of being wholly condemned. If people are regarded only as machines guided by logic as they were be these "scientistic" thinkers, rhetoric is likely to be held in low regard: for the most obvious truth about rhetoric is that it speaks to the whole person. It presents its arguments first to the person as a rational being, because persuasive discourse, if honestly conceived, always has a basis in reasoning. Logical argument is the plot, as it were, of any speech or essay that is respectfully intended to persuade people. Yet it is a characterizing feature of rhetoric that it goes beyond this and appeals to the parts of our nature that are involved in feeling, desiring, acting, and suffering. It recalls relevant instances of the emotional reactions of people to circumstances real or fictional—that are similar to our own circumstances. Such is the purpose of both historical accounts and fables in persuasive discourse: they indicate literally or symbolically how people may react emotionally, with hope or fear, to particular circumstances. A speech attempting to persuade people can achieve little unless it takes into account the aspect of their being related to such hopes and fears.
  Rhetoric, then, is addressed to human beings living at particular times and in particular places. From the point of view of rhetoric, we are not merely logical thinking machines, creatures abstracted from time and space. The study of rhetoric should therefore be considered the most humanistic of the humanities, since rhetoric is not directed only to our rational selves. It takes into account what the "scientistic" view leaves out. If it is a weakness to harbor feelings, then rhetoric may be thought of as dealing in weakness. But those who reject the idea of rhetoric because they believe it deals in lies and who at the same time hope to move people to action, must either be liars themselves or be very naive; pure logic has never been a motivating force unless it has been subordinated to human purposes, feelings, and desires, and thereby ceased to be pure logic.  [br] The passage suggests that the disparagement of rhetoric by some people can be traced to their ______.
选项 A、reaction against science
B、lack of training in logic
C、desire to persuade people as completely as possible
D、misunderstanding of the use of the term "scientistic"
答案 D
解析 3题是含蓄题，原文第1段指出，如果人们只是被看作，如这些“科学的”思想家(by these“scientistic”thinkers)认为的那样，是由逻辑指导的机器(machines guided by logic)，那么修辞学很可能(likely)不受重视(to be held in low regard)。而关于修辞学的最明显的真理(the most obvious truth)是修辞学面对完整的人(the whole person)说话。原文把科学的思想家这个词组前的“科学的”这个形容词加上引导(“scientistic”)，这表明原文暗示(suggests)这种科学实质上并不科学。某些人轻视(disparagement)修辞学，考查其原因(can be traced to)是因为他们对科学的(“scientistic”)这个词的含义有错误的理解，把人单纯看成由逻辑指导的机器是不科学的，因为完整的人(the whole person)除了逻辑思想以外还有情感(feeling)和愿望(desiring)，这是D的内容。
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