Ontology

Ontology

1. the study of being or existence and questions of what kinds of entities exist

   • What is true?
     • the nature of reality
       • theories about what is true

2. What does rhetoric make?

   • What kind of entities does it call into being?
     • Does rhetoric create "truth"?
       • Does rhetoric create reality?
         • Is Rhetoric God?
           • Creates truth
             • gives purpose and meaning
               • creates reality
                 • forms us
                   • creates its culture: every culture has different gods/rhetorics that create it
             • situational
         • what creates reality?
           • words
           • situation
           • parents
           • society
       • what is truth? From where does truth come?
   • What does rhetoric call into being?
     • Rhetoric is basically the strategic use of communication to accomplish purposes with target audiences. It can be used for ethical and unethical purposes, but ought to be used for good ends and to enhance truthful and honest messages. Rhetoric is defined by its function, not by a communication medium, topic, or social location.

3. What exists? What does not?

   • What is the ultimate essence?
     • What makes anything that exists real and not unreal? What is the essence of being?

4. idealist: Mental

5. materialist: stuff