A theory of the rhetorical audience: Reflections on Chaim Perelman

Abstract

Perelman has a complete and coherent theory of a rhetorical audience as a concept constructed by the speaker. This audience is of two kinds, universal and particular. Universal audiences consist of all rational beings; persuasive discourse addressed to these thematizes facts and truths. Particular audiences consist of one segment or another of humanity: Americans, Republicans, Elks, Medicare recipients; discourse addressed to them thematizes values. Discourse inpublic arenas is rarely addressed simply to particular audiences or to a universal audience; it rarely has its goal either adherence to facts and truths or adherence to values. Usually, public address represents a mixture of goals, and therefore of rhetorical audiences. Finally, the concept of audience with which speakers start differs from the concept with which speakers end the discourse. By means of the discourse, step by step, speakers bring their rhetorical audience to the desired adherence; at the same time, they hope that their discourse brings their actual audience to the same point.