In James M. Dubinsky’s (2002) article, “More than a Knack: Techne & Teaching Technical Communication” he argued “for a more deliberate emphasis on teacher training by reinvigorating techne as a concept that is far more than instrumental or prescriptive” (p. 129). Dubinsky illustrated the need but lack of technical communicators which can lead to a system-centered perspective, the reliance of teachers on a formulaic pedagogy, the relevance of techne to technical communication, Aristotle’s distinction between knack (what one comes to know from repeated practice/habit) and art (techne) where he says that knowledge belongs to art because an artist knows the cause (understands the why) and men of experience do not, the techne of teaching with reliance upon the contingent which has the ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice, techne being a reasoned state of capacity to make, knowledge of the purpose and the audience, the importance of the situational component of teaching an understanding of the students, learning to teach, a user-centered approach to teacher training in the classroom, and using stories to show the reasons for recommendations. Dubinsky’s purpose was to show that “If we prepare prospective teachers to master the techne of teaching, we encourage them to become user-centered, reflective practitioners who understand the critical need for situational uses of knowledge” (p. 129). Dubinsky’s intended audience was teachers of technical communication needing training in how to become more user-centered and on how to teach. Dubinsky skillfully examined the historical context behind techne, which helped to inform the rest of his article and why it’s an important part of the technical communication pedagogy.
Tag: Aristotle
Katz, S. B. (1992). The ethic of expediency: classical rhetoric, technology, and the holocaust. College English, 54(3), (pp. 255-275).
In Steven B. Katz’s (1992) article, “The Ethic of Expediency: Classical Rhetoric, Technology, and the Holocaust” he illustrated that “much of Hitler’s ethical and political program is also directly or indirectly based on the ethic of expediency first treated by Aristotle, and is thus amenable to analysis from an Aristotelian point of view” (p. 259). Katz analyzed the ethical problem in rhetoric, the possibility of being too technical and too logical, utilized Aristotle’s theory on rhetoric to support his claims, the deliberative discourse of the holocaust memo was based on the ethic of expediency, the issue of objectivity in technical writing, the majority of technical communication is deliberative, the appearance of Hitler’s attempt to be ethical in his technical execution of his program, the use of science and technology as a basis for a powerful ethical argument, the technological ethos used to create a powerful Nazi rhetoric of propaganda, and the final problem of the expediency in technological capitalism. Katz’s purpose was to propose the solution of “recognizing the essentially ethical character of all rhetoric, including our writing theory, pedagogy, and practice, and the role that expediency plays in rhetoric” (p. 272). Katz’s intended audience was individuals who practice in writing theory and instructors that may not be aware of their ethical responsibility in technical communication. Katz demonstrated a clear understanding of both Aristotle’s theories and Hitler’s programs, but he seemed to be digging himself into an ethical hole throughout the article.
ENG 591 Tech. Comm. 