TRIVIUM (Grammar, Logic, & Rhetoric) - Initial Study Plan

Exposure to any of the following listed material, taken in any order, will help a person to
reclaim and develop ones innate faculty of reason or, as often referenced here, the
Trivium Method of Thought. However, to employ the following recommendations of
order and procedure may hasten optimal integration of these processes and methods.

An Outline of lan
!. "ead the immediately following copy of a letter sent to an author of educational works,
and the article as addendum.
II.
"ead the essay written in #$%& 'y (orothy )ayers, The *ost Tools of *earning, at the
following we' site+ www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html
III. See the 19 part video series on "An Underground History of du!ation" by
"ohn #aylor $atto % whi!h is available on &ou #ube % to understand how our
natural intelle!tual growth has been psy!hologi!ally arrested in our s!hooling
systems' and of what the solutions might !onsist.
http(//www.youtube.!om/view)play)list*
p+,-A./0,A.9A/-102sear!h)3uery+private4boarding4s!hools45ohn4taylor4g
atto
67r !ondu!t a &ou #ube word sear!h( john gatto private boarding schools to
begin.8
IV. 9ollow the dire!tions listed dire!tly below the summary of the boo: #he
#rivium by Sister ;iriam "oseph.
V. 9ollow the dire!tions listed dire!tly below the summary of the re!orded le!ture
!ourse <ntrodu!tion to =ogi! by >r. =eonard ?ei:off.
VI.
@ead the Commentary and the Summary of @hetori! in!luded as the last arti!le
of this ?lan.
VII. 6Advan!ed % optional8 @ead and perform the exer!ises in Alassi!al @hetori!
with Aristotle by ;artin Aothran
67rder from(
www.memoriapress.!om/arti!les/whatrhetori!.html8
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I. Letter & Article
0%-1%1B CDritten to an author of a boo: on primary 2 se!ondary edu!ationE
>ear ;s.'
< found the television interview regarding your boo: on publi! s!hooling both
informative and insightful. <t motivated my writing this letter.
Feing that < have not read your boo: 6an order was 5ust pla!ed8 my !omments
may be of a nature with whi!h you are already familiar. < share your !on!ern and
the !on!ern of any thin:ing person in Ameri!a regarding the harm being brought
to the !urrent generation of students in the publi! s!hooling system. #his harm is
the same whi!h was visited upon their parents and' indeed' every generation of
publi!ly s!hooled student over the last !entury in this !ountry. #hrough spill%over
effe!ts' it has done damage to private primary and se!ondary s!hooling and' in
parti!ular' to university level edu!ation.
For if you [the rulers] suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to
be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which
their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but
that you first make thieves [outlaws] and then punish them
Sir Thoma More (!"#$-!%&%), !topia, "ook #
$ould you first break the legs of a lamb and then kick it because it could not
stand up thereafter%
De are now witnessing the a!!umulating negative effe!ts of omitting the three
means of learning ho' to learn whi!h !onstitute the integrated' Alassi!al
#rivium % the first three of the Seven =iberal Arts and S!ien!esG the last four
!onstituents are !alled the Huadrivium. <n a Alassi!al ?rimary and Se!ondary
du!ation !urri!ulum' the !omponents of the trivium % general grammar' formal
6Aristotelian8 logi!' and !lassi!al rhetori! % are presented to students to train them
in learning how to learn and' !on!urrently' in validly thin:ing systemati!ally. #he
trivium is presented to methodi!ally gather raw' fa!tual data into a !oherent body
of :nowledge 6grammar8G then to gain understanding of that body by
systemati!ally eliminating all stated !ontradi!tions within it 6diale!ti! or logi!8G
and' finally' to wisely express and utiliIe that valid :nowledge and understanding
in the ob5e!tive' real world 6rhetori!8. 7n!e a student is !onversant with this
three%fold pro!edural pattern' he is now !apable % and this is one of the great
values of the #rivium % of teaching himself' with minimal guidan!e from an
instru!tor or fa!ilitator' how to learn any established sub5e!t su!h as
mathemati!s' geometry' musi!al theory' astronomy 6the Alassi!al Huadrivium8'
physi!s' !hemistry' history' philosophy' et!.G or of fully grasping any propositional
topi! he is motivated upon whi!h to fo!us % li:e !urrent so!io/politi!al issues'
newly developing s!ientifi! hypotheses' histori!al and literary analyses' and so
forth. <n other words' through the pro!ess of learning how to learn' he learns how
to !riti!ally and !reatively think . . . for himself.
#hat last senten!e sums up the pro!ess. #he first aspe!t of systemati! thin:ing is
to learn the elements of a proposition or sub5e!t in order to !riti!ally define a
problem or an opportunity 6this is done in the grammar and logi! stages8. 7n!e
defined' we use our !reative thought !apa!ity to solve the problem or find ways
to ta:e advantage of the opportunity 6the !lassi!al rhetori!al mode a!!omplishes
this tas:8. #his ma:es a person a first%hand' independent thin:er rather than
remaining a se!ond%hand' dependent thin:er. <n not relying on his own organiIed
thoughts' a se!ond%hand thin:er 6usually one mar:ed by low self%esteem8 has his
mental !ontent filled by various so !alled authorities li:e the mass media and its
advertisingG professionals and politi!ians' some of whom may be uns!rupulousG
offi!ials' both benign and despoti!' in s!hools and in the wor: pla!e.
&hey must find it difficult
&hose who have taken authority as the truth,
'ather than truth as the authority
Gerald Massey, Egyptologist
#he first%hand mode % the trivium pattern of organiIation % is in fa!t the way the
human mind would naturally order itself for effe!tive thin:ing if this pro!ess were
not aggressively dis!ouraged by various entren!hed fa!tions in so!iety % those
self%per!eived and self%pro!laimed guardians of !onvention. #o state the pro!ess
in its simplest form(
$rammar
answers the 3uestion of the Dho' Dhat' Dhere' and the Dhen of a sub5e!t.
=ogi!
answers the Dhy of a sub5e!t.
@hetori!
provides the How of a sub5e!t.
A ma5or reason the ">ame S!hool" or the one%roomed s!hool house of the past %
being taught by one instru!tor and upper !lassmen % and the home s!hooling
movement now gaining tra!tion was and is successful is that they use6d8 the
#rivium ;ethod of du!ation. Success' in this !ontext' is in produ!ing
appropriately !riti!al' !reative' self%suffi!ient individuals who be!ome e3uipped to
attra!t intelle!tual abundan!e into their lives as well as that whi!h naturally
follows from it % material abundan!e . <f a person has not been exposed to this
method' it is diffi!ult to !ommuni!ate to him the serenity%of%mind and self%
assuran!e 6i.e.' the spiritual abundan!e8 !aused by this !ompeten!e to
appropriately validate oneJs own thin:ing as well as the thin:ing and do!trines of
others. Ko amount of personal !ounseling or therapy !an generate the self%
esteem of having the ability to orient oneJs body and mind in the world through
what is his most distinguishing attribute( that of his own rational thin:ing applied
in a systemati! manner. #he pattern of the #rivium is the foundation of this
system whi!h produ!es an intuitive means to learn new material' not only during
periods devoted to formal instru!tion' but over an entire lifetime. As the study and
pra!ti!e of musi! allow the hands to intuitively and immediately produ!e melody
on a piano' for instan!e' so the study and pra!ti!e of the trivium produ!es
intuitive and immediate !riti!al/!reative thought. <n being the method to know a
sub5e!t rather than only to study a sub5e!t' it is truly the most fundamental
preparation for the leading of a su!!essful life % a gift every !hild' adoles!ent' and
adult should be presented to elevate him to the dignity of self%determination.
<t is stressed' the #rivium forms a habitual pattern%of%mind of how to thin:
effe!tively' not what to thin:. As an added bonus' this is a serene pursuit.
Fe!ause this is a method devoted to the "how( of thin:ing' it is not !ontroversial.
<t is in the topi!s of "what( to thin: % religion' literature' philosophy' and modern
s!ien!e % where !ontroversy reigns.
#he problem is' "$eneral du!ation" has not been the fo!us of the !ontemporary
s!hooling establishment but' rather' so!ial engineering . . . it is a vile and
protra!ted form of mis-education. After adopting the )russian *ducation +ethod
6see addendum8 in Ameri!a in the middle to late%19th !entury' this fault in
edu!ating our nation' from the perspe!tive of the general !itiIenry' was
!ompounded by applying the dangerous tenets of the )ragmatic )hilosophy
devised by $illiam ,ames and ,ohn -ewey 6< re!ommend an internet word
sear!h on ea!h of itali!iIed terms in this paragraph8. #he "party line" is that
!hildren need to be surrounded by their peers in order to so!ialiIe properly in
preparing them for life. So!ialiIation is a natural pro!ess to people' it need not be
taught to themG or' more to the point' programmed in them. Ahildren need to be
around family' neighbors' and a few !lose' genuine friends when youngerG and
parti!ipants in !hur!h' so!ial' !ivi!' and !haritable organiIations in adoles!en!e.
9riends and organiIations 5ust des!ribed have their time and pla!e in a young
personsJ life % they are not all%!onsuming intrusions as modern primary and
se!ondary s!hooling establishments try to ma:e themselves.
#here are self%serving' domineering so!ial entities whi!h per!eive a gain from
having general populations presented with only the protocols of a field of study
and to have withheld the rationale of that field of study. #he :nowledge of the
rationale of sub5e!ts for understanding' and the proto!ols for the expression or
appli!ation of those sub5e!ts !omprises what is addressed in a "$eneral
du!ation". #he "rationale" provides the all important understanding as to why a
sub5e!t or proposition is integrated and self%intelligible by presenting the entire
thought pro!ess 6the validated arguments8 behind the rationaleJs !on!lusions.
#he "proto!ol" is a set of instru!tions spawned by that !onsolidated
understanding 6of the rationale8 with whi!h to manifest an expressed out!ome.
Fy presenting only proto!ols' outcome-based education 6whi!h is' in reality' mind
!ontrol or "programming"8 is the openly stated goal of publi! s!hooling' not
general' understanding-based education. 7ur !ountry is populated by the
produ!ts of this poli!y of having "only" proto!ols presented and !ommitted to
memory. #hese "produ!ts" are designed to be obedient soldiers' pliable
employees' imprudent !onsumers of goods and servi!es' and otherwise
un!riti!al servants of established !orporate and statist interests.
<n not being trained to thin: !riti!ally and !reatively' students are programmed in
reading and thin:ing only to the level of abiding to instru!tions 6e.g.' reading a
pro!edural manual or slavishly following edi!ts from "on high" issued by so !alled
authorities8. Unfortunately' this is a mind numbing a!tion whi!h be!omes
insidiously habituated. #o be under the rule of tas: mastersG to be di!tated as to
what to thin: by others or via the mediaG to labor under the illusion of being a well
informed individualG to be!ome a stillborn adult' a life long adoles!ent % these are
the results of our !entury old institution. #he ideal of self%determination is
trampled mer!ilessly and in its pla!e grows self%alienation. <n being aggressively
indo!trinated not to thin: . . . that is' in being programmed against our very
nature' is it any wonder most of us live in a !onstant state of low%level fear and
are anxiously disoriented in an o!ean of !haos without the ability to 5udge as to
what are appropriate and benefi!ial goods and values* ;an !annot long live or
maintain health without his primary means of survivalG the exer!ise of his rational
thought.
($hat luck for rulers that men do not think(
(dol)h *itler
<f one is trained in the use of the #rivium ;ethod' not only !an he learn topi!s on
his ownG dedu!e parti!ular rationale from parti!ular proto!ols 6and' of !ourse' the
inverse8G but also develop intelle!tual and value 5udgment of a high order.
#hrough the effi!ient attainment of :nowledge and understanding' oneJs
intelle!tual !apa!ities are awa:ened. He will be !omfortable at all levels of
intelle!t % lower' higher' and subtle. He !an loo: at the world' or anything else'
with !larity and dis!ernment. #hen he !an a!t a!!ordingly and with assuran!e.
Said simply' he !an thrive in the living of life. 7ne of several tests to show if an
individual is rea!hing this awa:ened state of edu!ation is when he !an
thoroughly and !riti!ally entertain various ideas without ne!essarily embra!ing
them 6i.e.' he !omes into possession of a truly open mind( he frees himself from
his own opinions and pre5udi!es8. #he nature of some other tests are 3uite
surprising 6those will be dis!ussed elsewhere8.
Again' as < have not read your boo:' < suspe!t you have arti!ulated the !urrent
!ultural problems regarding the topi! of learning and all of its effe!ts. Fe!ause of
the universality of its appli!ation' the #rivium' as it has for the last six millennia 6at
minimum8' provides its adherents effe!tiveness in responding to most 3uestions
and situations en!ountered in life. #he following are some web sites you might
find useful in exploring these !on!epts(
www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html C#his is an espe!ially !ogent essay written in 19L0.E
www.ashbroo:.org/publi!at/oped/moore/1//trivium.html
7f !ourse' a word sear!h of "trivium"' "trivium s!hools"' and "liberal arts" would
be helpful.
< wish you all the best to you in your spea:ing !areer' and < hope these might be
seeds for furthering the !ause of #hought should you de!ide to resear!h and
write about them.
Darmest personal regards' / $ene 7dening

P.S.
#he following is an ex!erpt from another letter whi!h may better !larify The
Seven Liberal Arts & Sciences. .iberal is used here not in the modern' but in
the !lassi!al sense( it is literally % liberating or setting individual minds free from
ignoran!e through the understanding of reality. As regards !ontemporary so!iety'
this understanding would liberate us from tas: masters of all sorts % despots in
s!hools and in the wor:pla!eG uns!rupulous professionalsG and self%serving
propagandists in government' media' and advertising % by giving us the freedom
to !ompetently explore reality for ourselves.
#he #rivium
( C1E $eneral $rammar'C-E 9ormal =ogi!' C/E Alassi!al @hetori!
#he Huadrivium
( CLE Arithmeti!'C.E $eometry'CBE ;usi!' and C0E Astronomy.

The Tri+ium ('hich )ertain to Mind)- the elementary three,
C1E $@A;;A@ 6dis!overing and ordering fa!ts of reality !omprises basi!'
systemati! Knoledge8% not only the rules developed and applied to the ordering
of word/!on!epts for verbal expression and !ommuni!ation' but our first !onta!t
with !ons!ious order as su!h. #his is the initial' self%!ons!ious te!hni3ue used in
properly 6dis!ursively or se3uentially8 organiIing a body of :nowledge from raw'
fa!tual data for the purpose of gaining understanding 6through logi!8 andG thus'
also organiIing the individual human mind. <t is the foundation upon whi!h all
other "methods of organiIation and order" are built. Special grammar properly
relates words to other words within a spe!ified language li:e nglish' @ussian' or
=atin. /eneral grammar relates words to ob5e!tive reality in any language and
applies to all sub5e!ts as the first set of building blo!:s to integrated or fully
mindful' ob5e!tive :nowledge. A body of :nowledge whi!h has been gathered and
arranged under the rules of general grammar !an now be sub5e!ted to logi! for
full understanding' whi!h' emphati!ally' is a separate intelle!tual pro!edure.
[0] .1/2C 3developing the faculty of reason in establishing valid [ie, non-
contradictory] relationships among facts yields basic, systematic
Undertanding4 -
it is a guide for thin:ing !orre!tlyG thin:ing without !ontradi!tion. ;ore !on!isely' it
is the art of non%!ontradi!tory identifi!ation. #he wor: of logi! is proof. ?roof
!onsists of establishing the truth and validity of a !on!ept or proposition in
!orresponden!e with ob5e!tive' fa!tual reality by following a self%!onsistent !hain
of higher%level thought ba!: down to foundational' primary !on!epts or axioms
6i.e.' xisten!e' Aons!iousness' and Aausality8. <t is a means of :eeping us in
tou!h and grounded to ob5e!tive reality in our sear!h for valid :nowledge and
understanding. =ogi! brings the rhythm of the sub5e!tive thoughts of the mind'
and the subse3uent a!tions of the body' into harmony with the rhythm of the
ob5e!tive universe.


#his is the intended tone of the entire letter( to ami!ably syn!hroniIe individual
mental pro!esses' and their attendant a!tions' with the pro!esses of our
surrounding natural' fa!tual existen!e over the period of a lifetime.
[5] '6*&1'2C 3applying knowledge and understanding e7pressively comprises
-idom or, in other words, it is systematically useable knowledge and
understanding4-
to explore and find the proper !hoi!e of methods for !ogently expressing the
!on!lusions of grammar and logi! on a sub5e!t in writing and/or oral
argumentation 6oratory8. #he annun!iation of those !on!lusions is !alled a
statement of rationale' the set of instru!tions dedu!ed from the rationale for the
purpose of appli!ation 6of those !on!lusions8 in the real world is !alled a
statement of protocols
1E >is!overing and arranging 8nowledge 6a body of :nowledge8 under
generalgrammarG -E fully !nderstanding that Mnowledge under formal logi!G and
/E $isely expressing and using that Mnowledge and Understanding under
!lassi!al rhetori!' are three distin!tly different but inter%related dis!iplines whi!h
yield' when applied as an integrated unit % % #ruth.

The !uadrivium "hich #ertains to $atter & !uantit%&- the advanced four.
CLE ;A#H;A#<AS% number in itself' whi!h is a pure abstra!tionG that is' outside
of spa!e and time.
[9] /*1+*&':-
number in spa!e
[;] +!S2C 1' 6<'+1=2C &6*1':-
number in time
[>] <S&'1=1+:-
number in spa!e and time.
a. Kumber
b. $eometry
!. Harmoni!s
d. Aosmology
#he sub5e!ts of the Huadrivium 6originally organiIed by ?ythagoras' the an!ient
$ree: philosopher8 provided mu!h of the more advan!ed study prior to the
integration of the s!ien!e of physi! by $alileo and <saa! Kewton. #his integration
pre!ipitated the rise in studies of other spe!ialiIed s!ien!es' but' again' you !an
see the sensible and !onsistent manner in whi!h the material of :nowledge was
presented. <n the ;iddle Ages' the #rivium was the method of learning presented
in primary edu!ation' and the Huadrivium !omprised the subjects to be learned
by s!holars in se!ondary edu!ation 6tertiary edu!ation provided professional
study8. #oday' the methods of learning and thin:ing via the #rivium have not been
surpassed even as the galaxy of sub5e!ts to be explored and learned has
expanded immensely.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
#he various formal NArtsO' in!luding the =iberal Arts' are !lassi!al !on!epts 6from
An!ient $ree!e and @ome8 whi!h were refined in medieval times. #he following
!ontrast the #hree Alassi!al Arts in !ontemporary terms(
1E #he =iberal Arts and S!ien!es ' of whi!h there are seven' free a person who is
informed to ?ualitatively :now the mind and the method of training it through the
trivium. Mnowledge of the 3uadrivium provides an individual the freedom to
?uantitatively dis!ern the aspe!ts of physi!al nature % the realm of extension
6mind does not possess this 3uality8. <n human perspe!tive' mind and matter are
the total of reality. #he =iberal Arts are the study of reality as well as a guide to
abundant living in that reality. Until re!ently' in the Dest' the study of the 0 =iberal
Arts was !onsidered the paramount sudyG to be sought even beyond the pursuit
of #heology.
-E #he Utilitarian or Servile Arts prepare a person to serve % another person' the
state' a !orporation' or a business % and to earn a living. #he o!!upational
professions' trades' and te!hni!al vo!ations !omprise these arts. Servile Arts
tea!h us how to provide for a living but not how to live 6i.e.' in states of
abundan!e8. #hese are the only arts' regrettably' presented to most of us today.
/E #he 9ine Arts' if of the higher sort' attempt to elevate the human experien!e by
!ommuni!ating truth through the beautiful and the sublime. Ar!hite!ture' painting'
s!ulpture' literature' musi!' drama' and dan!e !omprise the Seven 9ine Arts.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
SSK#<A= #@;S
P'(istence % very entity' a!tion' attribute' and relationship that is' was' or ever
will be.
PIdentit% % #hat whi!h an existent is@ the sum total of its attributes or
!hara!teristi!s.
P)onsciousness % #he fa!ulty of awareness of that whi!h exists.
PValidation % #he pro!ess of establishing an idealQs relation to reality 6existen!e8.
PLa of )ausalit% % An entity must a!t in a!!ord with its nature. #his is a
!orollary to "<dentity" mentioned above.
.1/2C - &6* <'& 1F =1=-C1=&'<-2C&1': 2-*=&2F2C<&21=
#he method by whi!h we !an validly thin: for ourselves.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
&hat in which reside all beings and which
@esides in all beings' whi!h is the giver of
$ra!e to all' the Supreme Soul of the
Universe' the limitless being % < Am #hat.
9rom the <mribitnu !panishads of <ncient 2ndia
C#his refern!es "udeo/Ahristian theology.E
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

&here are those who discern, through the eye of knowledge, that
there is only the Field and the <wareness of the Field
9rom the "hagavad /ita
#his referen!es(
1. ?hilosophy % % #he two primary axioms( xisten!e 2 Aons!iousnessE
-. ;odern S!ien!e % % 9ield #heoryE
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
:our vision will become clear only when you look inside your being
$ho looks outside, is led to imaginings
$ho looks inside, awakens
A. $. "ung
C>o not slavishly a!!ept pre%digested thoughts. =earn to thin: for yourself.E


I. ")ontinuation&
Addendum to letter above.
9rom the ./V(0( 12UR.(L
?russia du!ation System
Are we tea!hing Ameri!an AitiIens or training ?russian Serfs*
from a speech by Senator <nn 1AConnell
ada#ted b% *iane Alden
How do we Ameri!ans begin to understand the problems we are experien!ing
today with our edu!ational !ommunity and with our system of edu!ation* 7ddly
enough' the answer to this and other perplexing 3uestions regarding edu!ation
go ba!: in history to KapoleonQs defeat of the ?russian army in 1,1B. Fe!ause of
the ?russian failure to defeat Kapoleon' $ermany too: a long hard loo: at its
institutionsRprimarily its s!hool system. #his introspe!tion led to the !on!lusion
that ?russian pride and power !ould only be restored by restru!turing that
system.
A strategy was devised in whi!h the ?russian government would set up a for!ed
government edu!ational system whi!h would turn out well dis!iplined students
who would follow orders without 3uestioning authority. #o a!!omplish this feat'
the goal of edu!ating !hildren be!ame a national priority permeated with
strategies adapted to turn out a national wor: for!e rather then an edu!ated
!itiIenry. very step in the edu!ation pro!ess was !al!ulated to offer authority
figures the least amount of trouble and !onse3uently train a well dis!iplined albeit
do!ile !itiIen.
7f !ourse the governmentQs attitude towards ordinary !itiIens did not !arry over
to the aristo!rati! upper !lasses' about -11 families' that owned most of the
property and !ontrolled the purse strings in ?russiaRand who were intent on
:eeping it that way. #hese families did not want their !hildren attending s!hool
with the lower !lasses and in the !ourse of things the new edu!ational proto!ol
gave the upper !lasses !hoi!e in de!iding the :ind of s!hools their !hildren would
attend' a !hoi!e it did not offer to the average $erman. C1..S of the population
were edu!ated as to how to learn and thin: systemati!allyG to see the "Fig
?i!ture". #hey were given a =iberal Arts edu!ation with parti!ular emphasis on
the #rivium. ...S were taught how to "partially" thin: by having only the grammar
of sub5e!ts or disintegrated portions of the #rivium presented. #hese were
prepared for the Servile Arts % o!!upational professions' trades' te!hni!al
dis!iplines' and military / poli!e duties. #he remainder of the !hildren' who were
!ons!ripted into the s!hooling system' had the instru!tion of methods of self%
tea!hing and effe!tual systemati! thought repla!ed by programming designed to
produ!e un!riti!al servants of the state.E
#he ?russian system may seem familiar to Ameri!ans in that it demanded
!ompulsory attendan!e' national training for tea!hers' national testing for all
students 6important be!ause it gave the government the ability to !lassify
!hildren for potential 5ob training8' national !urri!ulum set for ea!h grade' and
mandatory :indergarten. ;andatory :indergarten was ne!essary be!ause it
served to brea: the influen!e of the mother over the !hild thus ma:ing the !hild
more responsive to government influen!e.
So how did the ?russian system get from $ermany to the United States and what
reasons were offered for its adoption here* #he ?russian system proved to be a
su!!ess for that governmentQs purposes. Fy the late 1,11Qs men in the United
States in!luding Hora!e ;ann' Farnis Sears' and Aalvin Stove heard about the
su!!esses of the ?russian system. #hey traveled to $ermany to investigate how
the edu!ational pro!ess wor:ed. Upon their return to the United States they
lobbied heavily to have the ?russian model adopted.
+o it ,sed to -e
Up until the late 1,11Qs a good edu!ation in the United States !ould be obtained
without government interferen!e or oversight. Surprisingly' .1 per!ent of a
population of / million in 100B were indentured servants and -1 per!ent were
Afri!an slaves. &et during that time B11'111 !opies of #homas ?aineQs Common
Sense had been sold in the United States and had been read by !ountless
Ameri!ans. Fy 1,1-' with a population of approximately 0 million' ?ierre >u?ont
wrote in *ducation in the !nited States' "that out of every 1'111 persons fewer
than four !anQt read or do numbers." He attributed this fa!t to traditional dinner
table debates over passages read from the Fible <n other words' !hildren
learned how to read with an understanding of what they were reading and they
:new their numbers. All this edu!ation too: pla!e at home or in one room s!hool
houses' or ">ame S!hools'" primarily taught by women. #he !hildren who !ame
out of these s!hools grew up to be self reliant and individualisti!' in mar:ed
!ontrast to the ?russian system whi!h produ!ed an obedient' !olle!tivist trained
popula!e.
Another development added to the growing furor and revolution in Ameri!an
edu!ation. <n the early 1,11Qs' what is !ommonly :nown as the ?h.>. did not
exist in the United States. #hen a well !onne!ted Ameri!an named dward
verett went to $ermany to ta:e !ourses and returned to this !ountry as the first
Ameri!an to re!eive a ?h.>. degree. ventually' 11'111 of Ameri!aQs wealthiest
families would send their sons to obtain the ?h.>. in ?russian universities.
Ultimately' this development would affe!t the edu!ational and intelle!tual ma:e
up of the entire edu!ation system from :indergarten through !ollege. #hese
$erman trained ?h.>.Qs too: over the edu!ational establishment in the United
States and an!hored themselves in positions of politi!al and e!onomi! power
and influen!e. #he substan!e of the !ourse wor: in ?russian universities in
tandem with
the edu!ational philosophy tended to be so!ialist and !olle!tivist in nature.
Aonse3uently' the :nowledge and mind set of the ?russian system were passed
on to several generations of Ameri!an intelle!tuals.
Im#lementation of the Prussian S%stem
<mplementation of the ?russian system was to be!ome the goal of dward
verett' Ameri!aQs first ?h.>. As $overnor of ;assa!husetts' verett had to deal
with the problem of the influx of poor <rish Aatholi!s into his state. <n 1,.-' with
the support of Hora!e ;ann' another strong advo!ate of the ?russian model'
verett made the de!ision to adopt the ?russian system of edu!ation in
;assa!husetts. Unfortunately for the !hildren and poor <rish Aatholi!s of
;assa!husetts and elsewhere' the system produ!ed a willing' !heap labor for!e
with minimal reading and numbers s:ills. #he veretts of the world understood
that people who !ould read and understand are dangerous be!ause they are
intelle!tually e3uipped to find out things for themselves' thus be!oming a threat
to already established power elites.
Shortly after verett and ;ann !ollaborated to adopt the ?russian system' the
$overnor of Kew &or: set up the same method in 1- different Kew &or: s!hools
on a trial basis. <n!redibly' within two wee:s he de!lared the system a total
su!!ess and too: !ontrol of the entire edu!ation system in the State of Kew &or:.
<n a "blitI:reig" a!tion with no debate' publi! hearing' or !itiIen involvement'
government for!ed s!hooling was on its way in Ameri!a.
The .esults of the Prussian S%stem
#he history of Ameri!an edu!ation sin!e the a!!eptan!e of the ?russian system
is !he!:ered with failure and elitism. 9rom the time of "ohn >ewey' who felt
people should be defined by groups and asso!iations and who believed that
people who were well read were dangerous' to our own era' U.S. edu!ation has
suffered. De have in this day and age the disheartening statisti!s showing //
per!ent or our nationQs !ollege graduates !anQt read or !al!ulate well enough to
perform the 5obs they see:.
Dor:ing against the !on!epts and prin!iples the 9ounding 9athers provided in
the Aonstitution' the ?russian system has produ!ed a gradual but statisti!ally
provable de!line in litera!y and intelle!tual !apability of typi!al Ameri!ans. De
!an tra!: the five different stages that Ameri!an edu!ation has gone through(
10.1%1,.-R#he idea of government !ontrolled s!hools was !on!eivedG 1,.-%
1911R<t was politi!ally debated in state legislaturesG 1911%19-1RDe had
government !ontrolled industrialiIed fa!tory modeled s!hoolingG 19-1%19B1R
S!hools !hanged from being a!ademi!ally fo!used to be!oming so!ialiIedG and
19B1 to the ?resentRS!hools be!ame psy!hologi!al experimental labs.
<n the year 19L1 the >efense >epartment was preparing for Dorld Dar <<. <n
testing 1, million men between 19L1 and 19LL' the >efense >epartment found
9B per!ent of those tested were literate. >uring this same period' among Afri!an
Ameri!ans who were testedRthe ma5ority of whom had only three years of
s!hoolingR,1 per!ent were found to be literate. Fy literate we mean that
Ameri!ans' both white and bla!:' !ould read with understanding.
>uring the Morean Dar the >epartment of >efense tested three million men for
servi!e and only 19 per!ent were found to be literate. <n less then 11 years there
had been a .11 per!ent rise in illitera!y. ?erplexed' the >efense >epartment
investigated and found that the same test had been used during the two wars
and the only differen!e was that those men and women tested during the Morean
Dar had more s!hoolingRat a signifi!antly higher !ost.
#wenty years later' around 1901' the same test was used at the time of a new
war. Among the Tietnam draftees and enlistees who were tested for litera!y only
-0 per!ent were found to be !apable of reading with understanding the material
whi!h they needed in order to serve in the armed for!es. Again the ma5or
differen!e between Ameri!an soldiers in the 19L1Qs and the 1901Qs was more
s!hooling for the latter group at a higher !ost to the taxpayers.
Aonsider that the billions of taxpayer dollars were spent over the time period from
the 19L1Qs to the present in!reased by some /.1 per!ent with totally
una!!eptable results despite all the in!reased spending. <n 199B statisti!s
prepared by the Kational Asso!iation of du!ation for ?rogress showed that
some LL per!ent of Afri!an Ameri!ans !an not read at all. #he same set of
statisti!s shows that illitera!y among whites has 3uadrupled. <n!redibly'
edu!ating Ameri!ans !ontinues to !ost massive amounts of taxpayer dollars to
a!hieve una!!eptable and devastatingly poor results.
)onclusion
#he !ost to Ameri!a !anQt be measured in 5ust dollars and !ents. Dhile the
e!onomi! !ost is monumental as indi!ated by the U/1 billion annual >epartment
of du!ation budget and billions more spent by lo!al !ommunities' the la!: of
results for the dollars we spend is !atastrophi!. De are paying billions to
maintain a system whi!h is ineffe!tive and dangerousRbe!ause it is not tea!hing
people the !riti!al intelle!tual s:ills whi!h are !ru!ial to ma:ing e!onomi! and
politi!al de!isions for themselves. CAurrently' most of this spending is not going to
tea!herJs in!reased pay or toward efforts at better tea!hing standards. <n the
enormous' !entraliIed !orporate enterprise whi!h has grown to be publi!
s!hooling' the great ma5ority of tax%raised in!ome is pur!hasing new buildings'
!ampus%site real estate' and an!illary physi!al fa!ilities % buses' metal dete!tors'
!omputers' and the li:e % in whi!h funds !an potentially be diverted and spread
among those involved in the pro!urement pro!ess 6edu!ation bureau!rats' lo!al
and state politi!ians' and !ontra!tors8. #o !ompensate for the la!: of finan!es for
other per!eived needs of so!ialiIing !hildren % li:e band uniforms' field trips' and
other extra !urri!ular a!tivities % whi!h finan!es have been diverted to the
interests 5ust named' s!hool !hildren are transformed into peddlers of sundry
produ!ts to raise money for these resour!es under the guise of developing
personal independen!e and responsibility ... how ironi!.E
Dhat is the answer* Dhile the privileged !lass may !hoose to send its !hildren
to private s!hools' most Ameri!ans have only one option' publi! edu!ation.
?ubli! s!hools are the !ountryQs largest employer and the largest mediator in
!ontra!ts.
Unfortunately' the publi! edu!ation establishment is so powerful it !an outlast
publi! outrage. Aonse3uently Ameri!ans fa!e a dismal edu!ational future unless
we insist on parental !hoi!e. Until then there is little li:elihood that a ?russian
inspired edu!ational system will !hange and deliver the desired resultsRa
literate' intelle!tually !apable !itiIenry.
An Ameri!an hero' Abraham =in!oln' was very outspo:en against the ?russian
idea that ordinary people should not be taught the same way as the privileged
!lass. He said su!h a !on!ept was unAmeri!anRthat this !ountry was built by its
!ommon people. $od !reated all men as e3uals and they deserved to be
edu!ated in the same manner' ri!h and poor ali:e.
u %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
#he 8ey to effe!tive edu!ation 6the edu!ation whi!h was provided to the upper
1..S in ?russia' or "learning how to learn and thin: systemati!ally"8 is the
appli!ation of the first three of the Seven =iberal Arts and S!ien!es' the #rivium'
in ea!h of its three manifestations(
A/
#he Subjects of the #rivium % this three%fold method refle!ts the natural human
psy!hology for assimilating :nowledge.
1E @ules of /eneral /rammar to !on!isely organiIe a body of Mnowledge.
-E @ules of Formal .ogic with whi!h to produ!e Understanding by finding non%
!ontradi!tory relationships 6eliminating !ontradi!tions8 within that body of
:nowledge and to ob5e!tive reality 6in whi!h there are no !ontradi!tions CVE8.
/E @ules of Classical 'hetoric to produ!e Disdom with whi!h to !ogently express
and use the understanding garnered from the body of :nowledge.

-/
#he #rivium as an age-appropriate division for training and edu!ating in
!hildhood and adoles!en!eG this ta:es a!!ount of the !hanging !apa!ities in the
instrument of study' the mind' as it matures into adulthood.
1E $rammar =evel % ages L to 9 % training in self%dis!iplineG memory wor: and
primary' informal presentation of language%based sub5e!ts 6as in spelling'
phoneti! reading' foreign languages' and absorbing fa!tual data8G introdu!tion to
elementary numbers and arithmeti! 6addition' subtra!tion' and multipli!ation
tables8.
-E =ogi! =evel % ages 11 to 1L % education and self-instruction in analyti!al
sub5e!ts 69ormal =ogi!G advan!ed mathemati!sG literary' histori!al' and s!ientifi!
analysisG and primary !omposition8
WX1 2 X- !omprise #he Art of =earningY
/E @hetori! =evel % ages 1. to 10 % self-e7pression of what
was and is being learned and understood by use of advan!ed' original literary
and/or mathemati!al !omposition. #he student is now pre%pared for a life%time of
learning by using the #rivium ;ethod as a pattern of "how" to properly thin:.
WDith the addition of X/' #he Art of #hin:ing is now in pla!e.Y
#he #rivium has been used not only for learning' but also for tea!hing. #he
N>ame S!hoolO' whi!h provided primary edu!ation to !hildren aged B to 10 in one
room with one instru!tor' was a !omplete and effi!ient system for the
dissemination and debate of :nowledge. However' the single instru!tor was not
unaided in her tea!hing !hores. #he ingenious use of upper !lassmen to help
instru!t lower !lassmen was part of this system. =ogi! level students helped
NtrainO $rammar level students' those at the @hetori! level helped Ntea!hO =ogi!
level students.
B&he best way to learn is to teachCD
;otivation to learn was also addressed in this s!hooling. &ounger students
respond more favorably to being taught and emulating slightly older
!ontemporaries' their peers' rather than being un!easingly instru!ted by an adult.
As !an be imagined' this dan!e of learning and tea!hing !ould serve a person
throughout his life.
)/
#he #rivium 6a means for guidan!e in "how" to thin:8 as a !lassifi!ation tool of
those modes whi!h gather :nowledge of "what" to thin:.
1E #he =iterary or ;ythopoei! 6;ythologi!al and ?oeti!8 ;ode uses analogi!al
methods to elu!idate phenomena. .
-E #he ?hilosophi! ;ode uses the logi!al methods to explain phenomena.
/E #he S!ientifi! ;ode uses the "s!ientifi! method" to gain
:nowledge' understanding' and the use of phenomena through experimental
demonstration 6empiri!ism8.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
An!ient <ndia 6Lth and /rd ;illennia FA' or possibly earlier8 appears to be the
birthpla!e of the institution detailed above as the ?russian model. ven the ratios
of population spe!ialiIation were derived from the <ndian system of so!ial castes.
#he <ndian Frahmani! System spe!ified four hereditary !astes in des!ending
order of "!leanliness" 6their term . . . read % importance8. <n fa!t' the entire system
was based on varying levels of edu!ation.
1E #he Frahmin Aaste % those born into the holy priestly / 5udi!ial / tea!her !aste
were the ultimate authority figures in so!iety and dire!ted its !ourses of a!tion.
#his !aste was taught the full manner of systemati! learning and thin:ingG the
pre!epts of the integrated trivium. Fe!ause of this training' they were the only
people in their !ulture who had a view of the so!ietyJs NFig ?i!tureO. About 1..
per!ent of the general population belonged to this !aste 6V8.
-E #he Mshastria Aaste % those born into the heroi! :ing / warrior !aste were the
figures of )o'er and were the for!e behind the di!tates of the informed'
authoritarian !aste. #he warrior !aste was always !onsidered potentially
dangerous to the authoritarian !aste be!ause the warriorQs primary fo!us was
physi!al !oer!ion. #his !oer!ion !ould easily be turned on the !aste of authority
to assume total !ontrol of so!iety if it 6the warrior !aste8 so !hose. 9or this reason
the JholyJ !aste taught the warriors only the means to partially thin:' as in the
!ase of the 19th !entury ?russian System. #hat is' perhaps one or two of the
pre!epts of the trivium were emphasiIedG or all three were presented' but out of
se3uen!e or as sub5e!ts unto themselves and without the integrating aspe!ts of
valid systemati! thought being stressed. About . or B per!ent of the general
population were members of the warrior !aste % the "royal" exe!utive' poli!e' and
military bran!hes of politi!al so!iety.
/E #he Taishya Aaste % those born into the !ommer!ial agri!ultural / mer!hant /
artisan !aste were nominally in !harge of the material 'ealth derived from
e!onomi! a!tivity. #hey !o%ordinated the business' the trade' and the
employment of produ!tive so!iety. #he members of this !aste were taught only
the grammar of thought % the spe!ialiIed materials 6the servile arts8 of their
various vo!ations % in order that they be politi!ally un!riti!al' rote fun!tionaries in
so!iety. Approximately L to . per!ent of the general population belonged to this
!aste.

LE #he Shudra Aaste % those born into the menial !aste provided the er+ant
and la3orer to the other three !astes. #his !aste was not given any formal
instru!tion 6the members not being "#wi!e Forn" % or initiated into their lifeJs
station in adoles!en!e after their periods of edu!ation Cwe signify this today by a
!eremony !alled "graduation"E % as were the three upper !astes8. About ,0S' or
almost all of the rest of the general population belonged to this !aste. #he very
small per!entage of the population that were born into the lower spe!trum of this
fourth !aste were labeled !ntouchables, and performed either the very unsavory
tas:s of so!iety 6sanitation wor:' et!.8 or were the !ommon beggars.
<nterestingly' after !oming to a !omprehensive understanding of the hierar!hi!al
stru!ture of their so!ial order' a number of this group of Untou!hables later
be!ame the international bands of traveling so!ieties whi!h are :nown as the
@7;A or @omani people. #hey are most !ommonly :nown to us as "$ypsies".
#hese basi! divisions in so!iety have manifested in various !ultures throughout
the ages. Some more westerly examples(
An!ient gypt developed priestly and warrior !astes. #o !ope with the potential
problem of a rebellious warrior !aste' the priests sele!ted their titular leader' their
?haraoh' from among the warrior !aste itself. 7n!e sele!ted' this leader was
initiated into the ;ysteries of the :nowledgeable priestly !aste ... the !enterpie!e
N;ysteryO being the integrated trivium' most li:ely. 7f !ourse' the deeper
;ysteries were pharma!ologi!ally !ommuni!ated.
uropean so!iety in the ;iddle Ages was divided into oratores, bellatores, and
laboratores 1E #he Ahur!h was the dwelling of the oratores. #hese were the men
who had been given the se3uential instru!tion from grammar' to logi!' and on
into be!oming a!!omplished rhetori!ians and orators. uropean authority
stemmed from s:illfully applied rhetori!. -E #he belli!ose men of so!iety were the
:ings' prin!es' and various noblemen who exe!uted aggressive a!tions on their
own behalf if in !on!urren!e with the guidelines of the Ahur!h and ' at times'
a!ted as !oer!ive auxiliaries of the Ahur!h itself. /E =aboratores were !omposed
of farmers' mer!hants' tradesmen' artisans' serfs' and freemen laborers and
servants who lived under the authority of the Ahur!h and at the pleasure of the
various 6bellatore8 ;onar!hies. 6<n 9ran!e' these are !alled the #hree states.
#he 9ourth state' added later' is the press/media.8
<n his very readable wor:s titled @epubli! and =aws' the $ree: philosopher ?lato
thoroughly des!ribes the intri!a!ies and impli!ations of these so!ial divisions. Fy
studying these two wor:s % these dialogs % one !an see that the !ontemporary
world is still stru!tured in this manner although under different names and in
veiled guises.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000






II. Read the essay written in 1947 by Dorothy Sayers, The Lost
Tools of Learning, at the following web site:
.gbt.org1te(t1sa%ers.html
III. See the #$ part video series on -An .nderground History of Education- 'y /ohn
Taylor 0atto 1 which is availa'le on 2ou Tu'e 1 to understand how our natural intellectual
growth has 'een psychologically arrested in our schooling systems, and of what the
solutions might consist.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?
p=82A5378A59A3E27!sea"ch_#ue"y=p"ivate$boa"%i&'$schools$(oh
&$taylo"$'atto
)*" co&%uct a +ou ,ube wo"% sea"ch: john gatto private boarding
schools to be'i&.-

IV. S!""#R$% The Tri&i'(
. a boo/ by Sister Miriam Joseph (Rauh) is a& i&t"o%uctio& to the th"ee
b"a&ches o0 the t"ivium. 1hapte" 2 3 co&tai&s a co'e&t e3pla&atio& o0
4'e&e"al4 '"amma" )sta"t he"e-. 5e" t"eatise o& lo'ic is the sta&%a"%
aca%emic p"ese&tatio& which co&tai&s ma&y e3t"a&eous eleme&ts &ot
suite% to a philosophic.laype"so&4s comp"ehe&sio& o0 the sub(ect.
6i/ewise7 he" t"eatme&t o0 compositio& o" "heto"ic is aime% at
e3plai&i&' the p"imacy o0 la&'ua'e "athe" tha& the p"imacy o0 "eality
as e3p"esse% i& a 8tateme&t.o0.9"otocol %e"ive% 0"om a 8tateme&t.o0.
:atio&al )i.e.7 a "atio&al a"'ume&t-. )8ee a"ticle o& :heto"ic-
))) Read the *rst three +ha,ters. Then read the third +ha,ter
three (ore ti(es. Read this on+e a day o&er three s'++essi&e
days or (ore. It is i(,ortant to e(,loy s,a+ed re,etition in
this ty,e of reading to in-'en+e the ne'ral (a,,ing of the
brain to for( new ne'ral ,ath.ways and syna,ti+ +onne+tions%
so as to (a/e the new (aterial being learned (ore f'lly
'nderstood and to a0e+t an a'to(ati+ ,ro+ess in a,,li+ation.
This is the e1'i&alent of 2slee,ing on it3.
#fter the third reading of 4h,t. 5, 'nderline all ,assages whi+h
a,,ear as i(,ortant to yo'. #lso write any (arginal notes
whi+h yo' *nd a,,ro,riate. The next day, write a short
syno,sis, in yo'r own words, of yo'r i(,ressions of the
(aterial.
$o' (ay *nd ,'tting the (eaning of the te+hni+al lang'age
into yo'r own ter(s a di6+'lt tas/. The ,'r,ose of this
7rhetori+al8 e9er+ise is to test yo'r 7'nderstanding8 the logi+%
of what has been read in the body of 7/nowledge8 the
gra((ar%.
The following e9,lanation will not be +oherent at ,resent, b't
it will be ',on *nishing 4h,t. 5 for the *rst ti(e. :ere is an
e9a(,le of the ,ro+ess (entioned in the ,aragra,h abo&e. To
'se the fo'r fa(iliar ty,es of senten+es . de+larati&e,
interogati&e, i(,erati&e, and e9+la(atory . in deter(ining in
whi+h ty,e a 8,ro,osition8 (ight reside, is (ore e0e+ti&e for
o'r ,'r,ose of e&eryday 'seage rather than a,,lying the (ore
'nfa(iliar b't (ore rigoro'sly a+ade(i+% gra((ati+al
7(oods8 . indi+ati&e, ,otential, interrogati&e e1'i&alent%, and
&olati&e whi+h Sister "iria( ;ose,h 'ses in her e9,osition.
The ,ertinent ,oint in /nowing 7general8 gra((ar is to
establish its +lose relationshi, with logi+ and rhetori+ so that
the Tri&i'( "ethod itself +an be 'sed as a f'lly integrated
syste( of intelle+t'al +ognition.
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))


;. )8<==A:+- Introd'+tion to Logi+ . a "eco"%e% lectu"e cou"se
'ive& by Dr. Leonard Peiko i& the >974s. ,his is the most
app"op"iately co&st"ucte% e3positio& o& the sub(ect o0 lo'ic to which a
laype"so& ca& "elate. ?t is p"ese&te% i& plai& E&'lish a&% without
supe"@uous co&te&t which mi'ht %et"act 0"om the "eal.wo"l%
applicatio&s o0 lo'ic. This is the +ore of the Tri&i'( "ethod.
:e'"ettably7 this is a& e3pe&sive item selli&' at A355. ?0 B&a&ce is a
p"oblem7 ? su''est the 0o"matio& o0 a stu%y '"oup to sha"e e3pe&ses as
well as bei&' a sou"ce o0 %ive"se i%eas a&% views. :eview o0 this
mate"ial ove" time is a& impo"ta&t aspect i& the stu%y o0 lo'ic a&% this
pa"ticula" me%ium is i%eal 0o" that pu"pose. <po& B&ishi&' this se"ies
o0 tal/s7 a "etu"& to =i"iam Coseph4s boo/7 as well as those liste% below7
will 'e&e"ate suppleme&tal i&si'ht which othe"wise woul% &ot be
appa"e&t. ,his is a lo&' lectu"e se"ies which p"ese&tatio& shoul% be
space% ove" seve"al wee/s. ,he e3e"cise o0 ta/i&' &otes %u"i&' the
lectu"es will help i& mai&tai&i&' 0ocus.
)*&li&e o"%e" 0"om the Ay& :a&% Doo/sto"e7 9ei/oE lectu"es
%epa"tme&t7 catalo' 2 693=.-
))) !nli/e Sister "iria( ;ose,h<s intent, whi+h was to ,ro&ide
an a+ade(i+, s+holarly ,resentation of the tri&i'( to her
'ni&ersity le&el st'dents i.e., 'sing (any and highly n'an+ed
ter(s for the sa(e f'nda(ental +on+e,t , li/e the 'se of
<indi+ati&e (ood< instead of the (ore +o((on <de+larati&e
senten+e< to +larify the +on+e,t <,ro,osition<%= Dr. Leonard
>ei/o0<s intent is to relate infor(ation to lay(en for day.to.
day 'se in the real world. :e generally 'ses one +o((on ter(,
and one ter( only, to signify the (eaning of a +on+e,t
thro'gho't his logi+ le+t're series. Regarding the 'seage of
lang'age, these le+t'res are easier to follow than are the
s,e+iali?ed writings in the boo/ The Tri&i'(.
The general s'b@e+t of #ristotelian Logi+ itself +onsists of fo'r
other, (ore s,e+iali?ed s'b@e+ts. They are listed below as A.
through D.
A
. List of 4o((on Logi+al Aalla+ies
B
. R'les of De*nition
,he 0ollowi&' two sub(ects a"e co&ce"&e% with the ma&&e" i& which the
huma& mi&% p"ocesses i&0o"matio&. ?t eithe" me&tally ta/es
i&0o"matio& apa"t7 o" me&tally combi&es i&0o"matio& to'ethe" to 0o"m
'e&e"aliFatio&s.
C
. R'les of Ded'+ti&e Reasoning:
"a/ing new particular obser&ations with si(ilar or the sa(e
+hara+teristi+s to other ,re&io'sly (ade ober&ations, and
,la+ing the new ,arti+'lar obser&ations into a known general
category in whi+h the obser&ations that had been (ade
,re&io'sly are already ,la+ed. This is reasoning fro( all . to .
so(e ta/ing a,art%.
D
. Re&iew of the /nown r'les of Ind'+ti&e Reasoning:
"a/ing several separate obser&ations with si(ilar or the sa(e
+hara+teristi+s and for(ing the( into a new general +ategory
.. or to for( a generalization. This is reasoning fro( so(e . to
. all +o(bining, or ,'tting together%.
The to,i+s listed abo&e are the standard to,i+s +o&ered in
introd'+tion to logi+ +o'r+es. This +o'rse +onsists of 5B.4D
whi+h for( ten le+t'res of a,,ro9i(ately three ho'rs ea+h,
in+l'ding the 1'estion and answer ,eriods. Three.4D +o(,rise
one f'll le+t're. To a,,roa+h this series as it was originally
,resented wo'ld be ideal. Listen and +o(,lete the written
e9er+ises to one le+t're 5 dis+s% ,er wee/= ten wee/s total=
and try to listen on the sa(e wee/.day ea+h ti(e.
The ,ra+ti+e of ta/ing notes while listening to these dis+s is
highly re+o((ended as a (eans of fo+'sing attention as well
as for re+ording &arying ,er+e,tions o&er ti(e. I ha&e
,ersonally re&iewed this le+t're series e&ery se+ond year for
the ,ast thirty years and ha&e e9,erien+ed at least one new
insight ea+h ti(e. The following are the indi&id'al dis+ titles
whi+h are listed 'nder the basi+ to,i+s.
A.
4o((on Logi+al Aalla+ies
C1. Dasi+ logi+al theory
,he "ole o0 lo'ic. ,he laws o0 lo'ic a&% thei" vali%atio&. 6o'ic a&%
"eality.
CE F 5. Infor(al falla+ies
,we&ty.two commo& 0allacies7 i&clu%i&': the appeal to autho"ity7 a%
homi&em7 a% populum7 a% i'&o"a&tiam7 be''i&' the #uestio&7
e#uivocatio&7 compositio&7 %ivisio&7 misuse o0 the mea& a&% 0alse
alte"&ative.
,hese topics a"e sel0.e3pla&ato"y a&% sel0.evi%e&t. 1omplete the
assi'&e% e3e"cises a&% a wo"/able '"asp o0 the sub(ect matte" shoul%
be attai&e%. Go special comme&ta"y is "e#ui"e%.
C.
R'les of Ded'+ti&e Reasoning ) ,his is out o0 the o"%e" p"ese&te%
above7 but it is i& the o"%e" 0o" lo'ical p"ese&tatio& as the "ules o0
%e%uctio& a"e use% to 0o"m the :ules o0 HeB&itio& which 0ollow. -
C4. Introd'+tion to Ded'+ti&e Reasoning
,he &atu"e o0 %e%uctive a"'ume&t. ;ali%ity a&% t"uth. =i3e% a&% pu"e
hypothetical a"'ume&ts. Alte"&ative a"'ume&ts.
25 ! I. ,he A"istotelia& 8yllo'ism
1ate'o"ical p"opositio&s. ?mme%iate i&0e"e&ce. :ules o0 syllo'istic
vali%ity. A&alyFi&' a"'ume&ts i& o"%i&a"y la&'ua'e.
,hese th"ee lectu"es ) 9 %iscs - a"e the most hi'hly tech&ical po"tio&s
o0 the se"ies. Ho &ot be co&ce"&e% i0 a 0ull u&%e"sta&%i&' is &ot
"eache% upo& B"st liste&i&' to these &i&e %iscs a&% completei&' the
e3e"cises. ?t is e&ou'h that you have simply bee& e3pose% to this
mate"ial at least o&ce.
?& the cou"se o0 havi&' u&%e"stoo% the commo& 0allacies i& the sectio&
imme%iately p"io" to He%uctio&7 a&% i& comi&' to /&ow the :ules o0
HeB&itio& a&% i%e&tiBcatio& imme%iately 0ollowi&'7 a& app"eciatio& 0o"
pa"t o0 the p"ocess by which they came to be7 will %evelop. *0 cou"se7
pa"t o0 that p"ocess will be e3plai&e% i& this sectio& o& %e%uctive
"easo&i&'. ,he "emai&%e" o0 the p"ocess will be cove"e% i& e3plai&i&'
i&%uctive "easo&i&'. G ) ,he 1ommo& 6o'ical Jallacies a&% the :ules
o0 HeB&itio& a"e the o,erati&e sectio&s use% i& eve"y%ay
c"itical/c"eative lo'ical activity. ) ,he %e%uctive a&% i&%uctive "ules a"e
the (eans by which the Jallacies a&% HeB&itio& we"e %evelope% a&%
vali%ate%7 i& othe" wo"%s. *0 cou"se7 beyo&% o&ly this 0u&ctio&7
%e%uctio& a&% i&%uctio& a"e 0u"the" use% i& %etaile% p"ocesses o0
a&alysis a&% sy&thesis as well. H
5oweve"7 these th"ee sectio&s o& He%uctio& shoul% be "eviewe% mo"e
o0te& tha& the othe"s. ,o be e3pose% to these comple3 a&% i&t"icate
"ules ca& be li/e&e% to p"actici&' the scales i& the '"owth a&%
%evelopme&t o0 musical tale&t. ,he mo"e %evelope% you"
u&%e"sta&%i&' he"e7 the mo"e automatic the c"itical a&% c"eative
capacity o0 thou'ht becomes i& eve"y%ay use.

B
. R'les of De*nition )*ut o0 alphabetical se#ue&ce.-
C7 F I. De*nition
,he co'&itive "ole o0 %eB&itio&s. Ke&us a&% %iEe"e&tia. ,he metho% o0
0o"mulati&' vali% %eB&itio&s: Bve A"istotelia& "ules o0 %eB&itio&.
HeB&itio&al 0allacies.
,his sectio& is ve"y st"ai'ht 0o"wa"%. 8iste" =i"iam Coseph4s t"eatise o&
%eB&itio& %oes a%% some use0ul comme&ts o& the "oll o0 48pecies4 to
those o0 'e&us a&% %iEe"e&tia. 1omplete the lectu"es a&% e3e"cises
be0o"e "e0e""i&' to ,he ,"ivium.
D.
Re&iew of /nown r'les of Ind'+ti&e Reasoning.
C 9 F 1B. Ind'+ti&e Jenerali?ation.
?&%uctio& vs. %e%uctio&. ?&%uctio& by simple e&ume"atio&.
E3pe"ime&tal i&%uctio&. =ill4s metho%s o0 %iscove"i&' causal
co&&ectio&s. =a(o" i&%uctive 0allacies7 i&clu%i&' hasty 'e&e"aliFatio&7
ove"simpliBe% 'e&e"aliFatio&7 post hoc. ,he (ustiBcatio& o0 i&%uctio&.
,he a"'ume&t 0"om a&alo'y.
A'ai&7 the w"iti&' a&% the i%eas p"ese&te% i& this last sectio& a"e
st"ai'ht 0o"wa"% a&% sel0.e3pla&ato"y.



VI. 4K""LMT#R$% Rhetori+
To 3uote from (orothy )ayers4 essay The *ost Tools of *earning, -!t is difficult to map
out any general sylla'us for the study of "hetoric+ a certain freedom is demanded-.
!n keeping with her o'servation, a 'rief summary of the general rules of rhetoric follows.
However, since classical and midieval times when the ma5or role of rhetoric was to refine
the art of persuasion, the conditions of more modern times have necessitated an
expansion of the definition of rhetoric.
6lassical "hetoric was developed at a time when all social activities in men4s lives were
directed from a cultural hierarchy which extended central planning from the upper
reaches of a metaphorical pyramid down to the operative or lower, foundational reaches
of the pyramid. )ocietal planning was conceived 'y the rhetoricians 1 priests, 5urists, and
educators 1 and more widely passed on in a ver'al form as oratory to the operative
'ranches of society. Operatives consisted of the people who did the actual work of the
society as directed 'y the rhetoricians. The operative classes consisted of the
governmental officials 7usually Monarchs8, military and police personnel, producers of
agricultural and commercial goods and services, and the common la'orers and servants.
7The caste systems as previously referenced.8
!t is 'ecause persuasive rhetoric can 'e used for moral or immoral purposes, that a
student should 'e a'le to analy9e its content as the rhetoric might directly affect him. The
term moral is defined as follows: an action directed at another party which does not
harm his person or property through the initiation of force or fraud. To 'e a'le to
5udge an action as immoral is to use the knowledge of rhetoric in self1defense against that
action. To 5udge persuasive rhetoric as moral is to foster cooperation to a positive
purpose. This positive aspect relates to a person4s own use of rhetoric, hopefully, as well
as rhetoric directed to him.
!n more modern times, specifically during and after the !ndustrial "evolution, the
function of planning has spread from the top of the hierarchical pyramid to lower and
more dispersed areas of society. The development of the )cientific Method to produce
physically useful technological artifacts has placed a premium on specialists conversant
in the )cience of the :atural ;orld. As :ature herself is not su'5ect to persuasion, a
rhetoric to descri'e and utili9e discoveries made within the realm of the physical world
had to 'e developed. This is the rhetoric encompassing a )tatement of "ationale and the
set of instructions derived from it, the )tatement of rotocol. The rationale is the
complete argument< the detailed thought process of deriving a conclusion from o'served
premises, as expressed in a statement. The protocol is the se3uential set of procedures to
actuali9e a goal which is implied from the rationale without the need for expressing the
entire rationale itself.
The use of rationale and protocol leads to less e3uivocation within its implementation.
That is, a specific term tends to have one and only one definition in its use in the
rationale=protocol system. ! call this system ractical "hetoric. ractical "hetoric closes
the gulf of imprecise communication 'etween the rhetorician and his audience, in other
words. Misconceptions 1 'oth intentional and unintentional 1 can 'e minimi9ed if a
student can consciously convert persuasive or classical rhetoric to the procedures of
practical rhetoric.
>> The )cientific Method itself is a derivation of this system of classification.

S!""#R$% Lle(ents of 4lassi+al Rhetori+
The elements of )ystematic ;isdom are+
#. The five stages 7or what are called -canons-8 of composition+ #? invention, @?
arrangement, A? style, %? memory, and B? delivery.
@. The three types of discourse+ deli'erative 7political8, 5udicial 7forensic8, and ceremonial
7epideictic8. They are related to time+ future, past, and present tense, respectively.
The Past and Future belong to men; the eternally present Now belongs to the gods.
Aristotle
A. The three appeals+ rational, emotional, and ethical. )tated more succinctly in 6lassical
terms+ the rational is the *ogos of the proposition or argument 'eing presented, the
emotional is the athos of the audience, and ethical is the Ethos of the author or orator of
the proposition.
%. Types of proofs+ inartificial 7which is external, o'5ective evidence8, artificial 7is
su'5ectively devised or invented 'y the author of the proof or argument8.
B. The topics+ common topics 7genus or kind, comparison, and conse3uence8< special
topics 7the right and expedient, the 5ust and un5ust, praise and 'lame8.
Oration
(Wisdom presented in formal speech
C. Arrangement+ the five parts of classical oration+ introduction 7exordium8, statement of
facts, confirmation, refutation, and conclusion 7peroration8.
&. )tyle+ diction 7selection of most appropriate words8, sentences 7length, type, and
variety8, rhetorical figures 7schemes and figures of speech or tropes8.
)killed rhetoric authors can use the discipline in two senses. !n its most fundamental
form, )ystematic ;isdom is the art of efficiently passing thoughts from one person to
others. !n its most effective form, it is the art of passing -validated- thoughts from one
person to others.
The internet is a valua'le ad5unct to the concepts presented a'ove. A simple word search
on any of the technical terms listed should suffice to 'ring the proper clarification needed
to implement a useful rhetorical dissertation.

VII. 7Advanced 1 optional8 "ead and perform the exercises in Classical Rhetoric with
ristotle 'y Martin 6othran

!e is happy, as well as great who needs neither to o"ey nor to command in order to
"e something#
Coha&& Lol0'a&' vo& Koethe