The Banality of Rhetoric? (Part 2): Alternate Views of Technical Communication and the Holocaust

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 2010

The Banality of Rhetoric? (Part 2): Alternate Views of Technical Communication and the Holocaust

Mark Ward Clemson University

Abstract

Steven Katz's “The Ethic of Expediency” has become a reference point for discussions of ethics since its 1992 publication. Previously, this author assessed Katz's rhetorical analysis of Nazi technical communication against current research on the Holocaust and noted that scholarship suggests ideology rather than technological expediency as its motivating force. Yet implicit in the author's critique are two remaining questions, namely: What other rhetorical interpretations may be possible of the SS technical memo analyzed by Katz? And is Katz, who makes broad generalizations about Western rhetoric based on a single document, supported by examples of other Nazi technical communications? This article explores alternate interpretations of the SS memo suggested by the arguments of Rivers and Moore; presents the author's view that the Katz thesis decontextualizes the memo and that historical context argues for a primarily ideological ethos; and reviews sources for English translations of other Nazi documents.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 2010-07-01
DOI: 10.2190/tw.40.3.e
Open Access: Closed
Topics: technical communication argument

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

Duncan (2022)

“Expanding Ethical Pedagogy in Technical Communication: Learning from Killer Na…

Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (8)

Ward (2010)

The Ethic of Exigence

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Ward (2009)

The Banality of Rhetoric? Assessing Steven Katz's “the Ethic of Expediency” aga…

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Ward (2009)

Squaring the Learning Circle

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Moore (2006)

From Monologue to Dialog to Chorus: The Place of Instrumental Discourse in Engl…

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Katz (2006)

Guest Editorial: A Response to Patrick Moore's “Questioning the Motives of Tech…

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Show all 8 →

Moore (2004)

Questioning the Motives of Technical Communication and Rhetoric: Steven Katz's …

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Rivers (1992)

A Comment on "The Ethic of Expediency"

College English
Katz (1992)

Steven Katz Responds

College English

Also cites 6 works outside this index ↓

10.2307/378062

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10.7591/9781501727450

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10.1007/978-0-230-21440-8

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10.1080/17504902.2008.11087210

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10.1080/17504902.2008.11087215

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CrossRef global citation count: 3 View in citation network →