Dr. Richard Weaver gave an excellent lecture last evening on the changing cultural perception rhetoricians and the degradation of language as a whole. As Dr. Weaver explains in a part of his lecture, to be a professor of rhetoric was once an esteemed position—something that was not for the layman teacher or average professor. Today, it is assumed that to think correctly, one must think scientifically. Both logic and lingual communication are invaluable cornerstones of civilization. The lecture was in and of itself a work of art, and taught many lessons on rhetoric and language.
You are strongly encouraged to click here and watch the full length podcast. You will definitely be doing yourself a service.
Also, go to RhetoricRing.com, and click blog to read more.