Book VII: Demosthenes
Progymnasma Thesis & Law ~ 11th & 12th grade
Demosthenes is currently in alpha testing. Please contact us (inquiry@classicalwriting.com) if you are interested in being part of our testing team.
This book teaches the progymnasmata Thesis and Law. It is a two semester course, to be taught in either 11th or 12th grade. We will complete the appeal to logos with final studies in logic, in particular syllogistic logic, and then branch into Dialectics, the "kissing cousin" of logic and the bridge between logic and rhetoric proper.
Our mascot is Demosthenes, tbe famous Greek orator of the third century BC. Demosthenes' greatest oration is entitled On the Crown.
As with all our books we feature two goals for each book: A goal in ancient rhetoric and a goal in modern writing skills. Our goal in this book is to master the progymnasma Thesis, a careful examination of a particular subject of dispute. It may pertain to politics, theology, morality, or philosophy. This progymnasma can argue both sides of a question in the same essay, in a point-counter point fashion. Thesis, like Commonplace, argues generally for a concept, not for or against a specific individual or public issue. Through study of the progymnasma Thesis, we also teach the modern research paper by adding on modern distinctions such as scope (limiting the discussion to a manageable size), review of thesis statement formulation, modern research strategies, modern outlining, drafting, revisions, as well as a thorough review of proofreading skills.
Our key ancient source text will be Aristotle's Rhetoric.
