Rhetoric, the art of persuasion, does not have positive connotation in today's society. This is probably due to it's overuse in politics, advertising and promotion. Rhetoric is mostly understood in a verbal form, especially in politics. Rhetoric is today strongly associated with the unethical misuse of persuasive argument by political and economic elites, and its reputation has suffered. In his essay I will focus on rhetoric in design, it's history and uses. I will explain the uses and links of rhetoric in examples of furniture design as well as analyse some furniture using the perspective of rhetoric.

BACKGROUND OF RHETORIC

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. It has been recognised and discussed for at least 2500 years. The topic has been discussed and explored by ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Cicero. Rhetoric was perceived as a verbal art or skill, and the basis of the theory of rhetoric was established. It was in last few centuries when contemporary rhetorical theorists started to apply this theory to the written form of language as well as other human disciplines. And just in the last century this understanding has been for the first time acknowledged and connected with design.

It remains an important question what is the message to be persuaded. In general today we understand the message to be quite simple to "consume", this was probably not the case in ancient Greece. In this world , everybody is using everybody else to pass his message"(Sierra 2006) This message to consume could be hidden behind many aspect of rhetoric, generally presented as a "adding quality" to our lives. As an abstract and individual character of properties such as quality can never be achieved in practical sense the theory of rhetoric shows to be endless. "Much of advertising creates only marginal differences, but even small difference can tip the balance in favour of the advertised brand" (Sutherland 1993)

Rhetoric in design is helping to pass the message from product to the consumer enabling him to understand and to perceive the value of the product and to finally find appreciation for such a product, regardless of the intentions In capitalist system rhetoric is used to consume more product in situations when society is already saturated with functional product. Rhetoric could be used to open the gate of diversity of forms, therefore fashions and styles and never ending "upgrades". Some parts of the market (Apple, Alessi) has realised this and made deliberate effort in use of emotions and rhetoric to gain its distinguish space on the market. It's products would have one target - to capture the customer by it's simplicity, rhetoric a clear symbols. " Companies communicate their brand primarily through design..…decisions regarding design are frontline strategic decisions. And this is only likely to increase as we move to New Modernity"(Marzano 1999)

Rhetoric is a tool and as such can be used for many different purposes and agendas. Rhetoric could help increase the level of communication and understanding in between object and people. The effectiveness of rhetoric directly depends on the use of patterns and symbols which are familiar to the targeted audience.

SOCIETY KNOWLEDGE

There is no design produced that does not have rhetorical content. All designers and all users have some knowledge of social and cultural background, therefore all man made object contains rhetoric. " I suggested the concept of nondesign when the designer would disappear behind a sort of collective memory" (Morgan & Starck 1999) To prove this imagine the hypothetical situation of an alien observing our object. They would be able to understand the logical function of the objects, but as there is no function without form, and form created by human does contain rhetoric they would not be able to communicate on form level, without necessary social knowledge - rhetoric. Rhetoric is an open ended description of patterns, symbols, and tools which are changing with time and society values. Rhetoric therefore is dependent and relevant to time and other aspect of the society.

Rhetoric in design is using three basic elements technological reasoning, character and emotion.

CHARACTER - ETHOS

In verbal form, it is the credibility and trustworthiness and the character of the speaker himself . It is the point of understanding "where is he coming from." It is the background, it is the projection of the designer itself into his product, of his or her image they have about themselves or values they would like to represent. This represents a common ground for the inorganic object to establish a relationship between the human creator and human user. It uses connection on person to person level. Unfortunately this limits the designer sympathy by the user's taste and comfort. Mainly the designers are limited by users personal inexperience and the convenient comfort of familiarity. In contrast, this character building logic can be applied to non human applications such is brands and through rhetoric assigned with human qualities.

TECHNOLOGICAL REASONING - LOGOS

Technological reasoning shows the designer as promoter of the future attitudes and values regarding life as it should be. Technological reasoning also promotes and fits the role of the technology in our lives. Designers in my opinion have the responsibility to show future trends and through their product projects their values as they imagine the future world to be. "The job of the designer is to provide choices for people. These choices should be real and meaningful, allowing people to participate more fully in their own life decisions, and enabling them to communicate with designers and architects in finding solutions to their own problems, even-whether they want to or not-to become their own designers." (Papanek 1995)

If the technological reasoning is a pure product of science then the question of value and ethic would be irrelevant to design. I argue the opposite, the problem is our perception and the image of science in our society. Science should not be somehow remote to social and ethical issues, as it is part of human development and discovery of understanding of the world around us. To simplify the complex scientific process, science is using the method of elimination of the external influences to understand the given scientific problem. It seems this patter of understanding and excitement of technology primarily without the context it is used for, is perhaps where this society is taking the wrong turn. This world functions in context , so should the science so should the design function in context of the surrounds.

EMOTION - PATHOS

Emotion are provided by design as a direct connection between user and the object on basis of physical interaction or contemplation of the object before, during or after use. Design provides an organization of the way we feel in a direct encounter with our environment.(Buchanan 1989) When well presented, emotion has the power to override logic. Some designs are using emotion to connect directly to the user. Such a connection is not obvious and it performs the best when subtly presented in non-obvious emotional way. "The most successful designs are the once which express concern with discovering new aspects of the utility of emotional expression in practical life. As well as design which offers non conclusive idea about of designers attitude about technology or social life" (Buchanan 1989). This in my opinion well describe fashion and trends. I see this reflected in the attempts to create timeless designs, and especially the trend to design object will fit with any style or fashion.

EXPOSING THE PRINCIPLES

As rhetoric is about communication and passing messages from the designed object to the customer, in my view there are two options how to deal with the clarity of this communication. The first one is recently very popular and it involves designing for the function of the object itself and the communication by design symbols to allow user to understand and use the product. The second way, through honesty about the material, the construction methods used and even the ethic of sourcing and processing, to fully expose the true functionality and story of the object to capture and involve the user in the process of using.

As a typical example of the first such product is contemporary software. It typically contains an "engine" and GUI (graphic user interface). This design strategy can be found in many different areas. To have a separate "wrap" which sells and is easily upgradeable is seen as a benefit, while the core of the object itself stays the same. Obvious examples are product with separate layer of "skin" usually made out of plastic or metal. In furniture design, kitchens are the most typical example as the kitchen look is mainly conceived by the desktop and door fronts. Especially the kitchen desktop and sink with tapware are the main target of design fashion changes, while the core and the function of kitchen stays the same.

As it is impossible to understand all of the technology, we are witnessing the loss of understanding the core principles of products, and at the same time the rise of new industry using semiotics focused on explaining through simple symbols the function of these complex systems. Arguments for widespread public competence are accomplished through the simplification of a product's processes and components, so that users can easily assemble and maintain the product themselves. Another implication for the form of a product is decentralization: products that make people dependant on large, centralized, distant organizations (current power companies and large power generation plants are prime examples) encourage people to be ignorant of how they work and their environmental impact.(Stegall 2006)

Sometime, with the latest computer technology, the romantic idea of fully exposing the technological reasoning just can't work for the product complexity. The latest models of Apple computer's IMac are showing this increasing trend, they present a complex product simplified to technological reasoning with simplicity to substitute the loss of direct connection with users. Mac computers have the connotation of being simpler to use using the "All-in-One" design slogan, whenever it is true on not. This is a fundamental issue in design: whether and how much to involve a general audience of users in the process of technological reasoning. (Buchanan 1989)

The other way of communication between object and user is direct communication, exposing rather than hiding the functional details to explain and educate the user. This honesty in products creates a different link and appreciation of the product. This strategy has many benefits it is providing more direct links with the user, not only by making them feel better & smarter, but also giving him or her back control and understanding between function and use. Such a design is more expensive to develop and harder to upgrade as it involves functional as well as aesthetic in one. On the other hand, if well designed, such pieces could last lifetime, due to the clear and a direct involvement of the client by understanding. The mass market of today is not really interested in the long lifetime of products as it is believed more profit can be raised from constant upgrades or the purchase new items. The benefits of such an approach are largely external to the producer, and are primarily social and environmental, and as such difficult to implement in an individualist consumer culture. "Production is only one means of society expression, and it should be the last resort." (Morgan & Starck 1999)

I would argue, as a designer, rhetoric is the art of communicating messages or telling, no matter which form or symbol is used. Designers then, have the responsibility to design in context of the whole process of production, use and a disposal. Designers in the modern world focus almost entirely on the physical issues surrounding a new product or technology. While it is important that new products be functional, aesthetically pleasing, ergonomic, safe, environmentally benign, and easy to manufacture, it is imperative to always remember that design is, at its core, "an art of thought and communication that can induce in others a wide range of beliefs about practical life for the individual and for groups." (Stegall 2006)

DAVID TRUBRIDGE

Lately the popularity of David Trubridge furniture has risen. Suddenly this trend in furniture design seems to be understood and meet the design demand of the users. I would suggest the David Trubridge has presented furniture contemporary society was longing for. His minimalist approach and clever play with suggestions has resonated with today's demands of minimal and natural material, local creativity , the symbiosis and resemblance of natural landscape and mainly the void - space for imagination in his work. It is this imagination which allow us to substitute the missing mass of the body with our ideas. In fifteen century rhetoric has been divided into logic and rhetoric where logic was assigned to intellect and rhetoric to imagination. Davis used rhetoric as figures of contrast -antithesis and irony when contrasting the objects little mass of the material with the amount of emptiness, yet creating fully functional furniture.

ROSS ANNELS

Many contemporary furniture makers are deliberately trying to escape the well-greased expectation of the audience in what furniture should be. They are standing up to what the typical notion of rhetoric is offering, yet are limited by the boundaries of the clients imagination and social acceptance. One of best Queensland makers Ross Annels is great example of such a challenge to mainstream rhetoric. His work has as high quality as it is diverse. Instead of analysing one example I believe it would be better to expose some paths and different approaches in his design of chairs.

His Sapling Chair is using an hyperbole effect of rhetoric using its over scaled high back to suggest a throne. But such effect is only at the backrest of the chair structure. This clever combination of what is rather traditional chair perception with the amplified back rest, does not effect the actual use of the chair, but shows good use and understanding of rhetoric. Besides the ego busting of the user by the throne-like structure, it carries a nature sensitive message in its resemblance to young trees (saplings). By using these aspect, Ross is managed to use rhetoric to create a chair which sells and also passes on an environmental message.

His another chair, Katerina Chair is an indirect reference to well known attributes of characteristic of traditional chairs. While presenting contemporary chair construction and methods, its simplicity of structure refers as a periphrasis and synecdoche to rhetorically known chair construction and function.

Finally Ross's Echinoid Chair goes even further to the rhetorical limits of the users expectations and walked on the verge of furniture as we know it and art. Ross is leaving it to the user to discover and become comfortable to this new quality and perception of seating. This chair is a opportunity for rhetoric to be created for the future.

In conclusion in this essay I have come to discover on examples how rhetoric is related to our experiences and cultural background, therefore how dependent it is to society knowledge and cultural values. This essay also revealed the intentional use of rhetoric and the more discursive-communicative one on examples provided. I have also outlined the brief history of rhetoric development and how its used, particularly in design. Rhetoric is part of our lives and it is inseparable part of our society, whether we like it or not. I this essay I have finally acknowledged not only the responsibility of a designer, but all of us to individually recognize where rhetoric is used as a tool to persuade some agenda, and when can we effectively use it as a tool to pass our message across.

REFERENCES :

Buchanan, R 1989, 'Declaration by Design: Rhetoric, Argument, and Demonstration in Design Practice', in EV Margolin (ed.), Design Discourse: History, Theory, Criticism., Chicago UP, Chicago, pp. 91-109.

Marzano, SCvbdT 1999, Creating value by design : Facts, 2nd ed. edn, V+K Pub. ; London : Lund Humphries, Blaricum.

Morgan, CL & Starck, P 1999, Starck, Universe, New York.

Papanek, V 1995, The green imperative : ecology and ethics in design and architecture, Thames and Hudson, London.

Sierra, S 2006, Santiago Sierra: Art Vs Globalisation, ABC TV Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Stegall, N 2006, 'Designing for Sustainability: A Philosophy for Ecologically Intentional Design', in Design Issues, vol. Spring2006,, pp. p56-63.

Sutherland, M 1993, Advertising and the mind of the consumer : what works, what doesn't, and why, Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards, NSW.

unknown, America Rhetoric Online, from http://americanrhetoric.com/