INI201H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: J. L. Austin, Performativity, Heteronormativity
Document Summary
Insofar as a choice of action is restricted, rhetoric seeks rather to have a formative effect upon attitude (as a criminal condemned to death might by priestly rhetoric be brought to an attitude of repentance and resignation). Thus, in cicero and augustine there is a shift between the words "move" (movere) and "bend" (flectere) to name the ultimate function of rhetoric. This shift corresponds to a distinction between act and attitude (attitude being an incipient act, a leaning or inclination). It was for too long the assumption of philosophers that the business of a "statement" can only be to "describe" some state of affairs, or to "state some fact", which it must do either truly or falsely. Example: i swear to tell the truth. (promise) Example: do you know what time it is? (question/request) Locutionary level: this soup needs salt (describes flavour of soup) Illocutionary level: partner passes salt (action in the world)
