Katabasis refers to a descent, particularly in a mythological or literary context. The term is derived from the Greek word "katabasis," which means "descent." It often describes a journey to the underworld or an exploration of darker realms, both in physical and metaphorical senses. In literature, katabasis is associated with various heroes and figures encountering death, the afterlife, or inner personal struggles.
A glossary of rhetorical terms is a compilation of key vocabulary and concepts associated with the field of rhetoric, which is the art of persuasion and effective communication. Below is a list of common rhetorical terms along with their definitions: 1. **Alliteration**: The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words, often used to create rhythm or emphasis.
Pathos is a rhetorical appeal to the emotions of the audience. It is one of the three modes of persuasion identified by Aristotle, alongside ethos (credibility or ethical appeal) and logos (logical appeal). Pathos aims to evoke an emotional response, such as pity, fear, joy, or anger, in order to persuade the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action.
Super linear algebra typically refers to the study of linear algebra concepts in the context of superalgebras, which are algebraic structures that incorporate the notion of "super" elements, often used in the fields of mathematics and theoretical physics, particularly in supersymmetry and quantum field theory.
Ideological criticism is a method of analyzing texts, cultural productions, or social practices by examining the underlying ideological frameworks that shape them. This approach focuses on how particular beliefs, values, and power structures are represented and reinforced within a given work or discourse. It seeks to uncover the ways in which ideologies influence meaning and can highlight issues related to power, privilege, and inequality.
The International Roman Law Moot Court is a competitive event focused on the study and application of Roman law. Participants, usually law students or young legal professionals, engage in simulated court proceedings where they analyze legal issues based on hypothetical cases derived from principles of Roman law. The moot court aims to enhance participants' understanding of legal concepts that have influenced modern legal systems, as well as to develop skills in legal reasoning, argumentation, and advocacy.
Rhetoric, in the context of Alexander the Great, typically refers to the art of persuasive speaking and writing that was highly valued in ancient Greek culture. While Alexander himself is not primarily known as a rhetorician, he was heavily influenced by the education he received from Aristotle, one of the greatest philosophers of the time, who emphasized the importance of rhetoric as a means of persuasion and communication.
Rhetorical circulation refers to the way in which rhetorical texts (such as speeches, essays, advertisements, or social media posts) move across different contexts and audiences, gaining new meanings and interpretations as they circulate. It emphasizes the dynamic relationship between the creation, dissemination, reception, and transformation of rhetorical messages. Key aspects of rhetorical circulation include: 1. **Contextualization:** The meaning of a rhetorical text can change depending on the context in which it is received.
Master suppression techniques refer to strategies and methods used by individuals or groups to maintain power and control over others, often in social, political, or organizational contexts. The term was popularized by Swedish sociologist, researcher, and activist, Elaine Eksvärd, particularly in her work analyzing how dominant groups assert their influence and suppress dissent or dissenters.
Paradiastole is a rhetorical term that refers to the technique of reinterpreting or redefining a negative quality or trait in a more favorable light. This rhetorical strategy involves presenting something typically seen as a flaw or vice as a virtue or positive characteristic through a change in context or perspective. For example, instead of labeling someone as insincere, one might describe them as being "diplomatic" or "carefully measured in their words.
Paraphrasing is the process of rewording or restating a piece of text or speech while preserving its original meaning. It involves altering the structure, vocabulary, and phrasing of the content without changing its essential message. Paraphrasing can be useful for clarifying information, avoiding plagiarism, or tailoring content for different audiences. It typically requires a good understanding of the original material to accurately convey the same ideas in a new way.
"Phaedrus" is one of the dialogues written by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It features a conversation between Socrates and a young man named Phaedrus. The dialogue primarily explores themes such as love, rhetoric, the nature of the soul, and the pursuit of truth. In the text, Phaedrus recounts a speech he has heard from the famous orator Lysias, which argues that it is better to be loved than to love.
A gun carriage is a structure designed to support and enable the mobility of a cannon or other large firearm. It typically consists of wheels, a frame, and a mechanism that allows the gun to be aimed and fired. Gun carriages have been used throughout history to transport artillery pieces, facilitating their deployment on the battlefield.
Polysyndeton is a literary and rhetorical device that involves the deliberate use of multiple conjunctions in close succession, often without the standard conjunctions being omitted. This technique is used to create a sense of rhythm, emphasize the connectedness of ideas, or slow down the pace of a passage.
A journey planner is a tool or software that helps users plan their travel routes and itineraries. It typically provides information on various modes of transport, including driving, public transit (buses, trains, subways), walking, and cycling. Journey planners can offer features such as: 1. **Route Mapping**: Visual representations of the routes to take, including directions and estimated travel times.
Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony where someone says the opposite of what they actually mean, often in a mocking or contemptuous tone. It is often used to convey disdain, amusement, or criticism. For example, if someone fails a test and a friend says, "Nice job!", that statement is sarcastic because the friend doesn't mean that the job was actually nice.
The Rhetoric Society of America (RSA) is an organization that promotes the study and teaching of rhetoric in various contexts, including education, communication, and public discourse. Founded in 1977, RSA serves as a professional association for scholars, educators, and practitioners interested in the field of rhetoric. The organization aims to foster research, facilitate communication among scholars, and provide resources and support for rhetorical studies.
The rhetoric of science is a field of study that examines how scientific knowledge is produced, communicated, and interpreted through language and discourse. It explores the persuasive strategies employed by scientists and science communicators to convey their ideas, arguments, and findings to various audiences, including other scientists, policymakers, the media, and the public.
In linguistics, a "scheme" refers to a specific type of linguistic construction or pattern that allows for the systematic variation and organization of elements within a language. Schemes can pertain to various aspects of language, including phonology, syntax, morphology, and semantics. One common context in which the term "scheme" is used is in relation to phonological schemes, which involve patterns of sound distribution and alternation in a language.
"Think of the Children" is a phrase and concept that has been used in various contexts, often in discussions about the impacts of adult decisions on children. It's commonly invoked to argue for caution or responsibility, urging individuals or groups to consider how actions and policies might affect young people.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 2.
    You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either https://OurBigBook.com or as a static website
    .
    Figure 3.
    Visual Studio Code extension installation
    .
    Figure 4.
    Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation
    .
    Figure 5.
    Web editor
    . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
    Video 4.
    OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo
    . Source.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact