Defining Rhetoric

    I would define rhetoric as being the art of communicating in a clear and thought out fashion that which is intended to be communicated.  Furthermore I would define rhetorical thinking as being the thoughts we have that are organized in a manner that considers the most effective communication methods and acting rhetorically to be the execution of said analytical thoughts.  I have defined rhetoric in this manner because it encompasses the full array of communication methods (speech, writing, pictures...) in common considered use, I am unsure if rhetoricians study things like body language.  Rhetoric is also specifically the study of, and to determine, which method of communication would be the most effective and powerful for any given situation.  I likewise defined rhetorical thinking as the act of contemplating rhetoric with its intended purpose (see previous sentence) in mind.  In a way rhetorical thinking is the private use of rhetoric (even if it is all mental consideration) to determine which rhetorical actions to take.  Rhetorical actions being the practice of rhetoric beyond the mind (excepting potential psychic cultures in other worlds or well hidden in our own), or to be more general and inclusive the practice of the art of rhetoric in a format that reaches other persons.