Neosophistic Perspectives: Selected Essays on Historiography and the Scope of Rhetoric

In Neosophistic Perspectives: Selected Essays on Historiography and the Scope of Rhetoric, Edward Schiappa presents a curated collection of essays that articulate and defend a distinctive approach to rhetorical scholarship. Bringing together foundational work on historiography, classical rhetoric, and contemporary rhetorical theory, the volume demonstrates the enduring influence of what Schiappa describes as a “neosophistic” perspective.

Influenced by the neopragmatism of Richard Rorty and the philosophy of science of Thomas S. Kuhn, Schiappa advances a position he characterizes as “sophisticated modernism.” This approach rejects both naïve objectivism and radical skepticism, acknowledging the contingency of historical knowledge while maintaining the importance of disciplined historical inquiry.

The essays revisit long-standing debates concerning the origins of rhetoric in ancient Greece, the emergence of rhetorical terminology, and the relationship between historical reconstruction and theoretical interpretation. Schiappa’s work has been particularly influential in challenging traditional narratives about the beginnings of rhetorical theory and in emphasizing the importance of attending to the historical development of rhetorical vocabularies.

The volume also explores questions concerning the scope and future of rhetorical studies. Schiappa argues that rhetoric is best understood not as a discrete object or universal essence but as a perspective and vocabulary for interpreting human affairs. Essays on the rhetoric of mathematics and other topics demonstrate both the possibilities and limits of rhetorical analysis.

Together, these essays offer a powerful account of rhetoric as an intellectual practice situated at the intersection of communication, philosophy, history, and cultural inquiry. They also provide an accessible introduction to one of the most influential voices in contemporary rhetorical studies.