Rosie Watson: What, if anything, is epistemically criticisable about rhetoric, and when might the use of rhetoric be permissible?

Rosie Watson, BA Philosophy, joins us to discuss her research project “What, if anything, is epistemically criticisable about rhetoric, and when might the use of rhetoric be permissible?” Rhetoric has frequently been treated as epistemically suspect insofar as it appears oriented towards persuasion rather than truth. Despite this concern, there is a notable lacuna in the literature regarding how rhetoric itself should be defined and evaluated as an epistemic practice. Drawing on Austinian distinctions, I argue that rhetoric can be understood as a mode of assertion distinguished by its perlocutionary aim and is therefore prima facie governed by epistemic norms constitutive of assertion. Rhetoric does not necessarily violate such norms; instead, its distinctive feature is that it can obscure the justification of what is asserted. To clarify this, I develop an evaluation in terms of attitudinal fittingness and attributive goodness. It is the obfuscation of justification by stylistic means that prevents formation of fitting belief, which renders rhetoric epistemically criticisable. I then go on to evaluate when rhetoric might be permissible and address the questions this raises about the commensurability of political and epistemic norms. I conclude that, provisionally, epistemic evaluation of rhetoric can be used to determine its permissibility until a fuller account is developed.Papers referenced if you would like to learn more:: Ruth Chang’s TED Talk: https://youtu.be/8GQZuzIdeQQ?si=_PJFdlueZNple7MfR. McKenna’s paper on Sophistry on Steroids: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00146-025-02624-z J. D’Ambrosio paper on Manipulative Speech:  https://academic.oup.com/monist/article/109/1/61/8444471?login=falseEpisode guest: Rosie Watson, BA PhilosophyEpisode host: Prof Simon KempEpisode producer and editor: Ellie HowellThe Meliora Podcast Student Research Symposium is part of the 2026 Student Takeover Season where we celebrate the fantastic sustainability research work of our Undergraduate Students.