ABSTRACT
It now has been fifteen years since the appearance of Rhetorical Criticism, and if that seems like only yesterday to some, many readers attracted to this special issue of the Western Journal of Speech Communication may not recall the state of the art at the time, nor will they recall reactions to the book. Typical concerns and typical vocabulary exhibit a vitality in the pages of our journals, but there is an even earlier sign: the contributor. This is not to imply that riders never change horses, but most have favorite mounts they customarily ride through familiar terrain. Critics have become even more adroit at transcending logos and pathos. Inductive and deductive processes clearly are passed, as are immediate emotional connections. Now one encounters tactics and strategies and appeals to cultural or societal values.
