When discussing the “Social
Functions of Rhetoric” Sarah Trenholm states in the fourth function, referred
to as “Shaping Knowledge”, that “truth is not something independent of
communication; Instead, it is a product of communication.” This declaration, even
in context of the functions, doesn’t seem to be a very logical train of
thought. Truth is derived from facts and do not have to be presented through
communication in order to still be the truth. Without those facts being
communicated we as a society or collective group may not know them to be true,
let alone exist, but that doesn’t change or alter whether a fact is truthful.
I’m on board with the idea that communication is how individuals within
cultures or societies come to accept things as fact; just not that fact is a
product of communication. If it were an actual product of communication then
anything could be true as long as enough people stated it to be. This is
belief, not fact, and no matter how much I believe in something it doesn’t make
it true.
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