The Informed Argument: The Brief Edition

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Summary: Adolph Hitler sneaks into classroom: The Informed Argument
Review: I had fond memories of using the 2nd edition of this book with college classes and so (carelessly, I admit) ordered the 5th for my current class. In it, under "Some Classic Arguments" is an excerpt from *Mein Kampf.* It is treated like the other essays in its section (Plato, Swift, Jefferson, etc.) An oversight? If so, it was also careless. I find this inclusion offensive, misleading and certainly not something I can cope with in the classroom, so am urging my students to return the book.

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Summary: Hitler was the ultimate Rhetorician
Review: In response to [e-mail]'s review, I found the inclusion of Hitler to be very illuminating. The distinguishing factor between Plato and Hitler is the fact that Hitler used his persuasion techniques for evil. But we must not forget that no matter how heinous, THEY WORKED. Including "Mein Kampf" was not a bad judgment call, in fact it was very effective. Hitler's "success" shows the implications of persuasion in modern and post-modern society, which is a topic that must be coupled with education of argument and fallacies. Do not let moral judgments impede the merit of a reference text on the subject of argument. One would only be looking at the world through a distorted pair of glasses instead of looking critically at the world, which is what rhetoric tries to achieve.

Rating:
Summary: Hitler was the ultimate Rhetorician
Review: In response to [e-mail]'s review, I found the inclusion of Hitler to be very illuminating. The distinguishing factor between Plato and Hitler is the fact that Hitler used his persuasion techniques for evil. But we must not forget that no matter how heinous, THEY WORKED. Including "Mein Kampf" was not a bad judgment call, in fact it was very effective. Hitler's "success" shows the implications of persuasion in modern and post-modern society, which is a topic that must be coupled with education of argument and fallacies. Do not let moral judgments impede the merit of a reference text on the subject of argument. One would only be looking at the world through a distorted pair of glasses instead of looking critically at the world, which is what rhetoric tries to achieve.