This paper presents three units of study and discusses ways that teachers can incorporate Kenneth Burke's ideas on symbolic action into the basic communication course. The three units discussed in the paper address: meaning in language and symbolic reality; persuasion; and rhetorical criticism. Each unit includes a brief introduction to the topic,…

Describes political consciousness in collectivities. Symbolist thought, focused on the idea of "myth," is linked with material thought, focused on the concept of "ideology." Suggests that a description of political consciousness can be constructed from the structures of meaning exhibited by a society's vocabulary of…

Examines the challenge posed by the naturalist philosophy of language--the view that the meanings of symbols are fixed by the environment. Compares the naturalist philosophy with that presented in an activist Native American essay that argues for the preservation of traditional native languages. (SRT)