Defense Date

8-13-2015

Graduation Date

Fall 1-1-2015

Availability

Worldwide Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Communication and Rhetorical Studies

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

Calvin Troup

Committee Member

Ronald Arnett

Committee Member

Janie Fritz

Keywords

Communication, Communicative Praxis, Communiction Ethics, Natural Theology, Rhetoric, Virtue

Abstract

This work claims communicative praxis is necessary and becomes increasingly more promising by introducing discussions that integrate explicit knowledge of natural law as a precursor for conversations regarding communication ethics. Taking a hermeneutical approach of returning to a text [book, person, place, etc.] with different questions develops new insights for identifying obstacles to understanding, functioning as barriers in preventing praxis. Some existing obstacles include errors, irrelevant information, misunderstandings, and implicit or omitted topics like natural law found lacking throughout the philosophical discourse. Therefore, this dissertation defines key terms, unveils the lineage of the law, reviews texts by Roman Catholic scholars explaining natural law, and considers some communicative implications when knowledge of natural law becomes explicit in discussions regarding communication ethics.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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