Rhetorical perspectivism

Beginning with the observation that the focus of rhetorical studies is an epistemological one, this essay develops a theory of “perspectivism.” It is argued that perspective theory can help account for, and perhaps even mediate, the current controversy between rhetorical objectivism and rhetorical subjectivism (intersubjectivism). Moreover, it is suggested that the theory of perspectivism provides a productive way of addressing the “dualist enigma” and offers valuable insight into how humans come to know rhetorically.