Rhetoric and Sociobiology

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Oct 1984

Debra Journet

Abstract

Although science and scientific communication have traditionally been considered objective and non-rhetorical, current thinking suggests that science is, to some degree, dependent on perception and belief, and that scientific communication reflects the values of its author. Sociobiology, a subset of evolutionary theory, considers the degree to which animal behavior is genetically determined. The question of the applicability of sociobiology to human behavior was brought to public attention by E. O. Wilson in Sociobiology [1], initiating a prolonged argument between Wilson and other scientists. This series of exchanges demonstrates a good deal of subjectivity on the part of the writers, and provides one example of a scientific debate that relies on traditional rhetorical techniques of persuasion.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 1984-10-01
DOI: 10.2190/fulx-qt45-6fjn-u8xb
Topics: multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

Austin et al. (2023)

The Persistence of “Consilience”: Reexamining a Rhetoric of Collaboration Acros…

Rhetoric Society Quarterly
SMITH (1997)

Intertextual Connections to “A Humanistic Rationale for Technical Writing”

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Journet (1986)

Parallels in Scientific and Literary Discourse: Stephen Jay Gould and the Scien…

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Cites in this index (1)

Halloran (1978)

Technical Writing and the Rhetoric of Science

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Also cites 4 works outside this index ↓

10.2307/375964

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10.1080/10510978009368036

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10.1016/0022-5193(64)90038-4

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10.1016/0162-3095(80)90012-6

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