The nature of literacy is discussed from the perspective of a tutor who teaches adults how to read and write. It is argued that: (1) the effects of literacy discussed in the literature do not differ qualitatively from the effects of language and (2) literacy is equivalent to skilled reading. (Author/MT)

In examining Kenneth Burke's maxim "ad bellum purificandum" (translated as "the purification of war"), it seems plausible to infer that Burke's entire system of thought was based on his outrage toward war and the misuse of symbols that makes war possible. Burke saw his criticisms of war not as mere passiveness but rather as…

Outlines Peirce's philosophy of rhetoric by examining his philosophy of signs and sketching his specific program for rhetoric as a general art for "rendering signs effective." Suggests that Peirce's work is part of a fully elaborated system of inquiry and signification. (JMF)

Asserts that the distinguishing focus of the communication discipline is symbolic activity. Suggests that wide recognition of this focus, its scope and coherence would help to resolve important discipline-related controversies. (MS)

Outlines a model shift in public relations between those who use only symbolic activities and those who use substantive behavior. Investigates and deconstructs the meaning of image. Suggests that organizations focus on more precise concepts of symbolic objectives and evaluate their success in achieving them. (HB)

Librarianship is the management of knowledge, not the management of nature, i.e., it is controlled by ideas, not by phenomena. The man/document interface provides a key for creating the philosophy of librarianship and a clue to the intellectual nature of the library profession. Because librarianship occurs whenever ideas are reused, librarians…

Arguing that understanding human interaction requires both a study of symbol use and a study of human action, this paper focuses on one function served by symbolization--fantasizing. Drawing upon the work of R. F. Bales, who identified the sharing of group fantasies as a useful communication function and who observed the process by which group…

Identifies five types of metaphors typically associated with the idea of "freedom" and discusses how they have formed the ideological core of an uncompromising foreign policy. States that the prevailing idea that freedom is "fragile" must be modified to construct a more balanced conception of national security. (GEA)

Discusses Kenneth Burke's ideas regarding the rhetoric of form as a productive way to begin to conceptualize and analyze the rhetoric of form. Traces human forming from the level of tacit symbolic "fixing" through systematic "knowing" to the manipulating of technical forms for the purpose of evoking response. (JMF)

The study of how signs convey meaning is applied to photographs, which are deemed the ideal vehicle for intercultural communication because of their realistic nature. Several classes of signs are identified and their meanings discussed. (JEG)

Challenges the contention of science that scientific language eliminates figurative language and, instead, demonstrates the relationship of metaphor, models, and analogy to scientific concepts. (AM)

Performance technology and instructional design are affected by the philosophical approaches of learners and teachers. The theories of constructivism (reality is constructed by individuals) and objectivism (reality is external but accessible to individuals) lead to different understandings of human cognition and affect both instructional design…

The article reviews augmentative and alternative communication symbol classifications reported in the literature over the past decade. The "aided/unaided" dichotomy (based on user production of the symbol) is proposed as the superordinate level of classification, rather than the "static/dynamic" (based on transmission of…

Defines gastronomic reference, or mention of what public figures eat, as synecdoche. Illustrates how use of this rhetorical device contributed to public figures and public images in the 1980 presidential campaign. Argues that interest in gastronomic reference leads to a broader concern for how synecdoche functions in public discourse. (PD)

Considers whether linguistic models can be used to examine how information is structured in the screen media. Highlights differences between language and screen media that make the transference difficult. Raises interesting questions about media literacy and whether screen media may have important perceptual and cognitive effects. (JMF)