Adaptive function of literature and the other arts
Download (.pdf) Adaptive Rhetoric: Ethos and Evolved Behavior in Cicero’s De Oratore
Rhetoric: Concord and Controversy, edited by Antonio de Velasco and Melody Lehn. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, 2010.
There are striking similarities between the Ciceronian conception of ethos and the behavioral patterns of some social... more There are striking similarities between the Ciceronian conception of ethos and the behavioral patterns of some social animals. To track them could shed light on the contributions evolutionary pressures have made to humanity’s use of ethos in rhetoric. Efforts to establish a reputation for good character are common in the natural world, and this is reflected in Ciceronian rhetorical theory. Through conspicuous displays of altruism and the construction of a positive ethos, animals (including humans) secure benefits from one another, such as food sharing, mating rights, or even legal decisions. Often these advantages make a difference in an individual’s ability to survive and procreate. Thus those animals that secure the goodwill (benevolentiam conciliare) of their fellows are more likely to pass down their genes. Likewise, Cicero places great emphasis on the construction of ethos in oratory, and he employs conspicuous displays of his own when attempting to demonstrate his good character. By studying the underlying evolutionary motivations, we might better understand the importance of ethos in rhetorical situations.