RHETOR 20 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Functionalism Versus Intentionalism, Originalism, Hermeneutics
Document Summary
Saying that interp is approximation reinforces the idea of the normal. Not text > context (but context can turn into text) Media chooses to call berkeley"s activities last night protest instead of riot > this is an important distinction. In politics, there are high stakes in making these interpretations. We live by the habitas and when we need interpretation because of disruptions, we invoke conventions. If high stakes (and stakes vary), it is important what conventions are used. Ex. saying that lawmakers use ordinary language is interpretation (vs. literary language used by students) In the classroom, there are political and rhetoric interpretations constantly. Intepretative theories (1) formalist focus on words of text: message in the words (a) allegorizing (b) historicizing (2) intentionalist: intent behind the words (ex. Applying neutral principles to interpret laws and politics. This is where politics and rhetoric of interp comes in for mailloux.
