epidemiology of ideas=rhetoric?

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message: Juliana: "dissin'..."
• Previous message: Mark A. McConaughy: "Historic Archaeology Field School in PA"

In re Mary's comment,
"I thought that the epidemiology of ideas was called rhetoric?"

Sorry, but no cigar. In a medical context epidemiology refers to the study of
how diseases spread. Rhetoric may be one way by which ideas are spread, but
clearly many other factors are involved. In advertising, for example, the
quality of an idea is often secondary to the amount of money spent to promote
it and, of course, the value to consumers of the product advertised. The
most brilliant creative idea (the "rhetoric") will die if it isn't supported
with the right type of media or directed to the wrong market segment. And,
?t $@x (Jif the product is flawed, it will only help to kill it, in the process killing
itself.

Cheeers, John McCreery

• Next message: Juliana: "dissin'..."
• Previous message: Mark A. McConaughy: "Historic Archaeology Field School in PA"