La rhétorique: Art de la preuve ou art de la persuasion?

Abstract

This paper proposes a new inquiry on the ancient concept of proof in rhetoric. Three Aristotelian notions will be investigated : the tekmerion (index), the paradeigma (example), and the topos (commonplace), in order to shed a light on their apparent paradoxical link with both persuasion and validity. As it is claimed, such a paradox may be resolved thanks to a stratified conception of rationality where archaic reason helps to persuasion, while modern reason grounds validity.