17.
It remains for me to divide rational philosophy into its parts.
Now all speech is either continuous, or split up between questioner and answerer.
It has been agreed upon that the former should be called rhetoric, and the latter dialectic.
Rhetoric deals with words, and meanings, and arrangement.
Dialectic is divided into two parts: words and their meanings, that is, into things which are said, and the words in which they are said.
Then comes a subdivision of each—and it is of vast extent.
Therefore I shall stop at this point, and for if I should take a fancy to give the subdivisions, my letter would become a debater’s handbook!
Book: Moral Letters Vol II
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On the parts of philosophy
Location: Chapter 89, Section 17
Content:
17.
It remains for me to divide rational philosophy into its parts.
Now all speech is either continuous, or split up between questioner and answerer.
It has been agreed upon that the former should be called rhetoric, and the latter dialectic.
Rhetoric deals with words, and meanings, and arrangement.
Dialectic is divided into two parts: words and their meanings, that is, into things which are said, and the words in which they are said.
Then comes a subdivision of each—and it is of vast extent.
Therefore I shall stop at this point, and for if I should take a fancy to give the subdivisions, my letter would become a debater’s handbook!