Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fall 1-1-2015 En Route To Communicative Praxis: Understanding Natural Law and Several Communicative Implications Rachel Ann Kosko Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Recommended Citation Kosko, R. (2015). En Route To Communicative Praxis: Understanding Natural Law and Several Communicative Implications (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/82 This Worldwide Access is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EN ROUTE TO COMMUNICATIVE PRAXIS: UNDERSTANDING NATURAL LAW AND SEVERAL COMMUNICATIVE IMPLICATIONS A Dissertation Submitted to the McAnulty Graduate School of Liberal Arts Duquesne University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy By Rachel A. Kosko December 2015 Copyright by Rachel A. Kosko 2015 EN ROUTE TO COMMUNICATIVE PRAXIS: UNDERSTANDING NATURAL LAW AND SEVERAL COMMUNICATIVE IMPLICATIONS By Rachel A. Kosko Approved August 13, 2015 ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. Calvin Troup Dr. Janie Harden Fritz Associate Professor of Communication Professor of Communication and and Rhetorical Studies Rhetorical Studies (Committee Chair) (Committee Member) ________________________________ Dr. Ronald C. Arnett Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies (Committee Member) ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. James C. Swindal Dr. Ronald C. Arnett Dean, McAnulty College and Graduate Chair, Department of Communication and School of Liberal Arts Rhetorical Studies iii ABSTRACT EN ROUTE TO COMMUNICATIVE PRAXIS: UNDERSTANDING NATURAL LAW AND SEVERAL COMMUNICATIVE IMPLICATIONS By Rachel A. Kosko December 2015 Dissertation supervised by Calvin Troup This work claims communicative praxis is necessary and becomes increasingly more promising by introducing discussions that integrate explicit knowledge of natural law as a precursor for conversations regarding communication ethics. Taking a hermeneutical approach of returning to a text [book, person, place, etc.] with different questions develops new insights for identifying obstacles to understanding, functioning as barriers in preventing praxis. Some existing obstacles include errors, irrelevant information, misunderstandings, and implicit or omitted topics like natural law found lacking throughout the philosophical discourse. Therefore, this dissertation defines key terms, unveils the lineage of the law, reviews texts by Roman Catholic scholars explaining natural law, and considers some communicative implications when knowledge of natural law becomes explicit in discussions regarding communication ethics. Keywords: communication, ethics, philosophy, natural law, obstacles to understanding iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS These acknowledgements are a testimony to God for His call and trust. His grace forever sustains me with his love and guidance. This thesis is the work of God. I confess that the study of the philosophy and rhetoric of communication re-orders my loves, yet, in its appropriate ordering God remains first in my studies. I thank my husband Deacon Joe for his loving, silent, patient presence throughout this project. His on-going willingness to listen when he didn’t understand illuminated his role as a true help-mate. Joseph met all the challenges along the way, often assuming my household responsibilities, in addition to his own, with the kind, gentle spirit he embodies. I remain ingratiated to my four adult children, Kenneth, Dana, David, and Kari Lynn, who have all contributed loving support and encouragement along the way. Special thanks goes to Dana who like any great teacher, inspired and instructed me in many ways throughout the journey. Many times she became the wind beneath my wings. My grandsons Matthew, Paul, and Sam have unknowingly often inspired and supported me along the way. I am forever indebted to many influential people in my life beginning with Grams, who taught me tried and proven key concepts of communication from the time I was knee high. Rev. Angelus Shaughnessy, OFM, my spiritual director, who willingly shared his loving guidance and support throughout many years. Rev. Joseph Mele, who pointed out the direction I should go to prepare for ministry. Rev. James O’Brien and Dr. Marilyn Barton who guided me through the Ignatius Spiritual Exercises at a crucial time in this process. Rev. Thomas Miller, my masterful prayer companion who affirmed my call to write. Finally, I express gratitude for Rev. John Rushofsky, whose words of wisdom functioned like a beacon of continual direction. Last, but v far from the least, I thank Rev. Ben Mwangi who became an enduring beacon of light shining the way to the completion of this part of the journey. Words can never express the authentic gratitude, appreciation, love, and prayers I owe my dissertation director, Calvin L. Troup. I especially share expressions of gratitude for my dissertation committee, Ronald C. Arnett and Janie Harden Fritz. Ronald Arnett who remains the epitome of excellence in his role as administrator, teacher, scholar, friend, and mentor. Janie Harden Fritz, Reverend Martin Barkin, and Marilyn Schaub, PhD will forever remain etched in my memory and heart. These scholars and mentors mirrored George Herbert Mead’s theory of the “looking glass self” with such excellence, these reflections continually propel me forward. No form of gratitude would be complete without a special acknowledgment of my enduring appreciation for Calvin L. Troup, who unknowingly glued me together like Humpty Dumpty on several occasions. Calvin Troup exhibits genuine scholarship as a mentor and friend. I remain indebted to him for his continual deliverance of sound directives, always expressed with empathy, truth, and integrity that always exemplify communicative praxis. I continue to admire him as an on-going standard-bearer for all communication. I thank friends, gathered from childhood and years spent in various ministries. Many people have contributed support in countless meaningful ways to help in my meeting challenges. Each and every person remains forever etched in my memory. My love and prayers continue for each and every one as this life long journey with God, family, and friends continues. It becomes relevant to note that the reflectivity recommended by Calvin O. Schrag and claims that we are dependent rational animals as made by Alastair MacIntyre, forever remain significant insights for communicative praxis for all humans, in all times. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract iv Acknowledgements v General Background/Introduction for the Study 1 Chapter 1 Understanding: An Essential Component for Communicative Praxis 5 Chapter 2 Defining and Explaining Natural Law, Ethics and Philosophy 37 Chapter 3 Genealogy of Natural Law 63 Chapter 4 Insights of St. Augustine on Natural Law 99 Chapter 5 St. Thomas Aquinas Explanations of Natural Law 150 Chapter 6 Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman on Natural Law 201 Chapter 7 Communicative Implications of Natural Law Study and More 243 References 262 vii GENERAL BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION Contemporary societies around the world are witnessing moral chaos that has reached a crisis level. One simply needs to read a newspaper or listen to a news broadcast to get the picture. Closer to home such confrontations become more personal through interactions and communication on social media and/or have experiences in personal or political deception, so prevalent that they function as the norm. For example the latest exhibitions of road rage create shock which verify the disproportionate communicative moral corruption facing contemporary humanity. On the flip side of the issue one finds scholars like Gerald Hauser, Frank Luntz, and Leon Mayhew presenting a different perspective of the same picture. Their portion of the portrait highlights a gullible, vulnerable American audience, poised and prepared to learn, understand, accept, and enact appropriate viable solutions for ethical dilemmas facing contemporary humanity (Mayhew, 1997). According to the rhetorical analysis of the situation, these scholars find that the general populace appears tired or frazzled, functioning in a state of confusion engulfed in deception and exponential interactions lacking communicative integrity (Luntz, 2009). Cynicism and mistrust have reached unprecedented levels. These Americans (representative of all humanity), when asked their deepest longings, unanimously express desire for genuine truth and integrity (Luntz, 2009). However, simultaneously these same publics are silenced unjustly or are at least having their authentic voices muffled through the use of various technologies, polls and statistics (Hauser, 1999). The bleakness of this injustice becomes evident in the realization that these same vernacular voices have remarkable and credible concerns, insights, and potential solutions for 1 many issues now confronting humanity, scholars and lay people alike (Hauser, 1999). Amidst these voices one may also glimpse the significant confusion and frustrations demonstrated in expressed desires to develop comprehensive understanding and meaning regarding ethics. Such understanding could promote meaning that creates real rather than theoretical