Fake It 'Til You Make It: Short Assignment 2

When Alan Sokal wrote his article "Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity", he did so with the intention of fooling scientific intellectual and editors. His article did fool the editors and was published in a major science magazine. I believe Sokal's article passed as a legitimate because of the fact that in he wrote about a new theory, and the fact that he wrote confidently and with support from the writings of other authors and physicists.

In his article, Sokal states that he wanted to take a deeper look into the analyses of other physicist and their work to develop new theories that could have "profound implications for the content of a future postmodern and liberatory science." This was a different approach to the ideas and theories of physics. Also, he wrote in such a manner as to keep math out of the article. This I believe was quite helpful in creating a false article as there were no equations to question and test. This elimination of math also opens his article up to a wider audience, some of whom may not be familiar with the complexities of physics and mathematics. An audience with a smaller knowledge base in physics might have an easier time believing the theories presented in the article.

Throughout the article, there are constant references to quotes and works published by other notable physicists. The references make Sokal's article seem more valid. His intention, I feel, was to bolster his article with so many references, that his work would seem irrefutable. He mentions scientists like Bohr, Einstein, and Newton,who are the fathers of major laws of physics. The idea was that if people believed Sokal's evidence was backed by the fathers of phsyics, then it absolutely had to be true, or at least possible.

Sokal also wrote with confidence. His idea, though fake, was not too far out of the realm of possibility that it was an obvious farce. He presented his work with a purpose, as well as a process of analysis. He went step by step through his outline presenting an idea that was seemingly supported by theory after theory and quote after quote. His wording was careful, so as not to refute previous statements and ensure that his fake idea was presented in a believable manner.

Intertextuality of Radio Revolution

The radio revolution and the use of wireless technology has changed the global society. As author, Kevin Werbach said, if talking on a cell phone weren't better than a landline, billions of people would not be using cellular devices. In Radio Revolution Werbach presents valuable information about the uses and advances of wireless technology as well as possible improvements. Using Bazerman's techniques of intertextual representation, Werbach explains and supports his material for multiple rhetorical audiences.

The science behind wireless technology can be complex and more than a little confusing to one who does not know about airwaves and wireless devices. Werbach explains the basics and importance of wireless technology to multiple audiences by using terminology and phrasing associated with a particular group, and then changing it to explain to another. He first uses the heavy, technical terms of wireless technology as if speaking to experts, then switches his wording from technical jargon to "magic". He elaborates in simple terms so all audiences can understand the message he is trying to convey.

Werbach also uses direct and indirect quotations to support his argument. By citing documents like White House memo and alluding to people of import in the radio community, such as the inventor of radio, Werbach gives his statement a solid, relatable support system. The sources are official, but not so obscure as to limit his information to a certain group.

Blogging Post 1

Bazerman's article on intertextuality explains how texts rely on other texts for reference and support. In his writings, Bazerman defines the six levels of intertextuality as well as six techniques for intertextuality. I found myself quite familiar with Bazerman's techniques through experience. When writing papers, I am often told to use direct and indirect quotation, mention people of importance to the subject, and use specific wording to relate to particular groups of people, along with other techniques to improve my writings.

Bazerman's technique of using recognizable phrasing for specific people or groups, and his technique of using language and forms that are similar to other ways of communicating, I feel are more closely related to Bitzer's idea of rhetorical situation than the other techniques. Bitzer's definition of "rhetorical situation" according to Grant-Davie is "a situation where a speaker or writer sees a need to change reality and sees that the change may be effected through rhetorical discourse" (3). While using direct and indirect quotations, or commenting on a statement, text, etc. are quite valuable techniques, without the ability to communicate with the audience, we would have no way of achieving discourse.

With discourse being an exchange of information, we as speakers and audience members need to be able to communicate with each other.  That requires us to be able to change our wording, medium, and text in order to convey a message. A useful example is a patient speaking to a doctor. A doctor explaining an illness to a patient needs to change his/her language to be understandable. Medical jargon is often confusing to a patient and difficult to follows. By changing the words, and possibly adding a secondary medium (pictures, diagrams, etc.) a doctor can easily explain an illness to a patient with little knowledge about medicine. Similarly, a doctor can change his/her language to sound more knowledgeable when speaking to other doctors or medical officials.

Grant-Davie suggests that instead of asking "who is the audience?" that rhetors ask how discourse can "define and create context for readers" (9). Using the idea of the universal audience allows for varied forms of communication and multiple situations for discourse. The universal audience is an audience of "all reasonable and competent men" (9) according to the Perelman's The New Rhetoric. The universal audience allows for multiple audience allows for a rhetor to engage a more varied audience and for audiences to better understand a speaker and the message he/she is trying to present. There is a bigger opportunity for discourse as more people and groups can exchange information.