fallacies and rhetorical devices

[BobSmith]

I understand that the intent of rhetoric is to persuade emotionally, and I can imagine devices that are not fallacies, but, are all fallacies considered rhetorical devices? Maybe another way to ask this is, is it correct that all fallacies are rhetorical devices, but not rhetorical devices are fallacies?

 

[5jj]

"5jj is infallible". Many people would consider that to be a fallacy. Few would consider it to be a rhetorical device.

 

[Raymott]

I understand that the intent of rhetoric is to persuade emotionally, and I can imagine devices that are not fallacies, but, are all fallacies considered rhetorical devices? Maybe another way to ask this is, is it correct that all fallacies are rhetorical devices, but not rhetorical devices are fallacies?

I can't think of a fallacy that couldn't be used as a rhetorical device in the right context. But I also can't think of a truth that couldn't be used rhetorically. I suppose that means that all possible utterances which can be named as a certain 'type' of statement are potential rhetorical devices.
That's not to say that a professional rhetorician would consider all fallacies as legitimate tools of his trade though.

 

[BobSmith]

5jj, I'm thinking in terms of "fallacy" being of a list of "known" fallacies, as in classical logic (strawman, ad hominem, etc). Your example has cleared it up, thanks.

 

[Raymott]

5jj, I'm thinking in terms of "fallacy" being of a list of "known" fallacies, as in classical logic (strawman, ad hominem, etc). Your example has cleared it up, thanks.

I disagree. I think that while "5jj is infallible" is a fallacy, it could also be a rhetorical device.
As a fallacy, it could be hyperbole, or a straight lie (an untruthful assertion). I think these would both count in rhetoric.

Hyperbole (

/haɪˈpɜrbəliː/hy-pur-bə-lee;[1]Greek: ὑπερβολή, 'exaggeration') is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbole

I'm not sure about pure lies, but since 5jj is correct most of the time, I'd call this statement hyperbolic. If someone asked me a difficult grammatical question and said that 5jj had said so and so, " I might reply, "5jj is infallible with grammar. If he said that, you don't need my opinion". That is rhetoric.


But you seem to be asking now whether all untruthful statements are fallacies, rather than whether all fallacies are rhetorical devices.

 

[BobSmith]

I'm trying to organize my understanding of Fallacies (capital F) versus simple falsehoods, with regards to rhetorical devices.