The Passionate Empiricist

Marlana Portolano

Description

This book introduces readers to the role that classical oratory played in changing early American attitudes about pure scientific research. Marlana Portolano investigates the impact of John Quincy Adams's oratorical campaigns on the origins of government-funded science in America, with a special focus on his classical theory of rhetorical engagement and civic duty.

Preface
Acknowledgments

1. A Classical Voice for American Science

2. An American Cicero
Adams the Professor of Rhetoric/The Lectures on Rhetoric: An Outline of Adams’s Theory/Competing Rhetorical Teachings in Adams’s Time
Twenteth-Century Rhetorical Theory: An Aid for Contemporary Readers

3. Toward a Democratic Science: Institution-Building and the Statesman Orator
Adams’s Early Development as an Orator for Democratic Science/ The Presidency as Pulpit for Science/Appealing to the Audience: Early American Attitudes toward Science

4. Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge: Setting the Stage for the Smithsonian Debate
The Question of James Smithson’s Intentions/ The Smithsonian and the Ethos of Scientific Discovery/Early Scientific Institutions as Models in Deliberative Rhetoric/The Smithsonian as Locus for Common Knowledge/ An Imperious and Indispensable Obligation/The State of the Controversy

5. Adams’s Arguments in the Smithsonian Debate: A Rhetorical Analysis
An Inventive Stage: Letters, Learned Advice, and Private Conversations/Asher Robbins and the National University Plan/Adams’s Refutations and His First Arguments for an Observatory/ Two Particular Audiences and Adams as Impartial Judge/ Financial Delays to Action: “Catch the bear before you sell his skin”/Resistance to Argumentation/ Arguments for a Natural History Museum and the Agricultural Influence/ The Grand Library Plan/Compromise

6. The Queen of Sciences and Her Democratic Champion
Adams’s Promotion of Astronomy
Adams’s Congressional Arguments for an Observatory/Adams’s Public Speaking Tours on Astronomy

7. Invention and Discovery, Rhetorically Speaking

Appendix A The Will of James Smithson
Appendix B An Act to Establish the Smithsonian Institution as It Passed into Law on August 10, 1846
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• USA
• United States of America
• 19th century
• Discourse analysis
• Stylistics
• Semantics
• History of the Americas
• États-Unis

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 18 décembre 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791477137
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

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The Passionate Empiricist

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The Passionate Empiricist

The Eloquence of John Quincy Adams in the Service of Science

Marlana Portolano

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2009 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Diane Ganeles Marketing by Michael Campochiaro

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Portolano, Marlana. The passionate empiricist : the eloquence of John Quincy Adams in the service of science / Marlana Portolano. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–0–7914–7699–4 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Adams, John Quincy, 1767–1848—Oratory. 2. Adams, John Quincy, 1767–1848—Language. 3. Eloquence—Case studies. 4. Adams, John Quincy, 1767–1848—Political and social views. 5. Science—Political aspects—United States—History. 6. Science—Social aspects—United States— History. 7. Science and state—United States—History. 8. Rhetoric—Political aspects—United States—History. 9. United States—Politics and government— 1815–1861. 10. United States—Intellectual life—1783–1865. I. Title.

E377.P67 2009 973.55092—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2008017376

Cui doro lepidum novum libellum?

To Joe

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Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Contents

A Classical Voice for American Science

An American Cicero

Adams the Professor of Rhetoric/TheLectures on Rhetoric: An Outline of Adams’s Theory/Com- peting Rhetorical Teachings in Adams’s Time/ Twentieth-Century Rhetorical Theory: An Aid for Contemporary Readers

Toward a Democratic Science: InstitutionBuilding and the Statesman Orator

Adams’s Early Development as an Orator for Dem- ocratic Science/ The Presidency as Pulpit for Science/Appealing to the Audience: Early American Attitudes toward Science

Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge: Setting the Stage for the Smithsonian Debate

The Question of James Smithson’s Intentions/ The Smithsonian and theEthosof Scientific Discovery/Early Scientific Institutions as Models in Deliberative Rhetoric/The Smithson- ian as Locus for Common Knowledge/ An Imper- ious and Indispensable Obligation/The State of the Controversy

vii

ix

xiii

1

13

53

77

viii

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Appendix A

Appendix B

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Contents

Adams’s Arguments in the Smithsonian Debate: A Rhetorical Analysis

An Inventive Stage: Letters, Learned Advice, and Private Conversations/Asher Robbins and the National University Plan/Adams’s Refutations and His First Arguments for an Observatory/ Two Particular Audiences and Adams as Impartial Judge/ Financial Delays to Action: “Catch the bear before you sell his skin”/Resist- ance to Argumentation/ Arguments for a Natural History Museum and the Agricultural Influence/ The Grand Library Plan/Compromise

The Queen of Sciences and Her Democratic Champion: Adams’s Promotion of Astronomy

Adams’s Congressional Arguments for an Observatory/Adams’s Public Speaking Tours on Astronomy

Invention and Discovery, Rhetorically Speaking

The Will of James Smithson

An Act to Establish the Smithsonian Institution as It Passed into Law on August 10, 1846

113

163

181

191

193

199

221

229