Rhetoric & Technical Communication
Rhetoric & Technical Communication
Toscano, Aaron, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Dept. of English

Resources and Daily Activities

  • Dr. Toscano’s Homepage
  • ENGL 2116-083: Introduction to Technical Communication
    • ENGL 2116 sec. 083 Major Assignments (Summer 2020)
      • Final Portfolio Requirements
      • Oral Presentations
    • June 11th: Continue with I, Robot
    • June 15th: Ethics and Perspective Discussion
      • Ethical Dilemmas for Homework
      • Ethical Dilemmas to Ponder
      • Mapping Our Personal Ethics
    • June 16th: More on Ethics
    • June 1st: Effective Documents for Users
    • June 2nd: Final Project and Research Discussion
      • Epistemology and Other Fun Research Ideas
      • Making Résumés and Cover Letters Better
      • Research
    • June 3rd: Technology in a Social Context
    • June 8th: Information Design and Visuals
    • June 9th: Proposals, Marketing, and Rhetoric
    • May 18th: Introduction to the course
    • May 19th: Critical Technological Awareness
    • May 20th: Audience, Purpose, and General Introduction
    • May 21st: Résumé Stuff
      • Making Résumés and Cover Letters More Effective
      • Peter Profit’s Cover Letter
    • May 25th: More Resume Stuff
    • May 26th: Plain Language and Prose Revision
      • Euphemisms
      • Prose Practice for Next Class
      • Prose Revision Assignment
      • Revising Prose: Efficiency, Accuracy, and Good
      • Sentence Clarity
    • May 27th: More on Plain Language
    • May 28th: Review Prose Revision
  • ENGL 4182/5182: Information Design & Digital Publishing
    • August 21st: Introduction to the Course
      • Rhetorical Principles of Information Design
    • August 28th: Introduction to Information Design
      • Prejudice and Rhetoric
      • Robin Williams’s Principles of Design
    • Classmates Webpages (Fall 2017)
    • December 4th: Presentations
    • Major Assignments for ENGL 4182/5182 (Fall 2017)
    • November 13th: More on Color
      • Designing with Color
      • Important Images
    • November 20th: Extra-Textual Elements
    • November 27th: Presentation/Portfolio Workshop
    • November 6th: In Living Color
    • October 16th: Type Fever
      • Typography
    • October 23rd: More on Type
    • October 2nd: MIDTERM FUN!!!
    • October 30th: Working with Graphics
      • Beerknurd Calendar 2018
    • September 11th: Talking about Design without Using “Thingy”
      • Theory, theory, practice
    • September 18th: The Whole Document
    • September 25th: Page Design
  • ENGL 4183/5183: Editing with Digital Technologies
    • Efficiency in Writing Reviews
    • February 3rd: I’m in Love with the Shape of You(r Sentences)
    • January 20th: Introduction to the Course
    • January 27th: Rhetoric, Words, and Composing
    • Major Assignments for ENGL 4183/5183 (Spring 2021)
  • ENGL 4275: Rhetoric of Technology
    • April 13th: Authorities in Science and Technology
    • April 15th: Articles on Violence in Video Games
    • April 20th: Presentations
    • April 6th: Technology in the home
    • April 8th: Writing Discussion
    • Assignments for ENGL 4275
    • February 10th: Religion of Technology Part 3 of 3
    • February 12th: Is Love a Technology?
    • February 17th: Technology and Gender
    • February 19th: Technology and Expediency
    • February 24th: Semester Review
    • February 3rd: Religion of Technology Part 1 of 3
    • February 5th: Religion of Technology Part 2 of 3
    • January 13th: Technology and Meaning, a Humanist perspective
    • January 15th: Technology and Democracy
    • January 22nd: The Politics of Technology
    • January 27th: Discussion on Writing as Thinking
    • January 29th: Technology and Postmodernism
    • January 8th: Introduction to the Course
    • March 11th: Writing and Other Fun
    • March 16th: Neuromancer (1984) Day 1 of 2
    • March 18th: Neuromancer (1984) Day 2 of 2
    • March 23rd: Inception (2010)
    • March 25th: Writing and Reflecting Discussion
    • March 30th & April 1st: Count Zero
    • March 9th: William Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984)
  • ENGL 4750-090 & ENGL 5050-092 Video Games & Culture
    • Assignments for Video Games & Culture
    • August 25th: Introduction to the Course
    • November 10th: Aggression & Addiction
    • November 3rd: Moral Panics and Health Risks
    • October 13th: Narrative, ludology, f(r)iction
    • October 20th: Serious Games
    • October 27: Risky Business?
    • October 6th: Hyperreality
    • September 1st: History of Video Games
    • September 22nd: Video Game Aesthetics
    • September 29th: (sub)Cultures and Video Games
    • September 8th: Defining Video Games and Critical Theory Introduction
      • Marxism for Video Game Analysis
      • Postmodernism for Video Game Analysis
  • ENGL 6166: Rhetorical Theory
    • April 13th: Umberto Eco & Jean Baudrillard
    • April 20th: Moving Forward on Theory
    • April 27th: Last Day of Class
    • April 6th: Lyotard’s The Postmodern Condition
      • What is Postmodernism?
    • February 10th: St. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine [Rhetoric]
      • Oratory and Argument Analysis
    • February 17th: Knoblauch on Magical and Ontological Rhetoric
    • February 24th: Rene Descartes’ Discourse on Method
    • February 3rd: Aristotle’s On Rhetoric Books 2 and 3
      • Aristotle’s On Rhetoric, Book 2
      • Aristotle’s On Rhetoric, Book 3
    • January 13th: Introduction to Class
    • January 27th: Aristotle’s On Rhetoric Book 1
    • March 16th: Friedrich Nietzsche
    • March 23rd: Mythologies and Meaning of Meaning (part 2)
    • March 30th: Derrida’s (refusal to have) Positions
    • March 9th: Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women
    • Rhetorical Theory Assignments
  • LBST 2212-124, 125, 126, & 127
    • August 21st: Introduction to Class
    • August 23rd: Humanistic Approach to Science Fiction
    • August 26th: Robots and Zombies
    • August 28th: Futurism, an Introduction
    • August 30th: R. A. Lafferty “Slow Tuesday Night” (1965)
    • December 2nd: Technological Augmentation
    • December 4th: Posthumanism
    • November 11th: Salt Fish Girl (Week 2)
    • November 13th: Salt Fish Girl (Week 2 con’t)
    • November 18th: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Part 1)
      • More Questions than Answers
    • November 1st: Games Reality Plays (part II)
    • November 20th: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Part 2)
    • November 6th: Salt Fish Girl (Week 1)
    • October 14th: More Autonomous Fun
    • October 16th: Autonomous Conclusion
    • October 21st: Sci Fi in the Domestic Sphere
    • October 23rd: Social Aphasia
    • October 25th: Dust in the Wind
    • October 28th: Gender Liminality and Roles
    • October 2nd: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
    • October 30th: Games Reality Plays (part I)
    • October 9th: Approaching Autonomous
      • Analyzing Prose in Autonomous
    • September 11th: The Time Machine
    • September 16th: The Alien Other
    • September 18th: Post-apocalyptic Worlds
    • September 20th: Dystopian Visions
    • September 23rd: World’s Beyond
    • September 25th: Gender Studies and Science Fiction
    • September 30th: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
    • September 4th: Science Fiction and Social Breakdown
      • More on Ellison
      • More on Forster
    • September 9th: The Time Machine
  • LBST 2213/HTAS 2100: Science, Technology, and Society
    • December 10th: Violence in Video Games
    • December 15th: Video Games and Violence, a more nuanced view
    • December 1st: COVID-19 facial covering rhetoric
    • December 3rd: COVID-19 Transmission and Pandemics
    • December 8th: 500-word Essay
    • November 10th: Planet of the Apes. (1964) Ch. 27-end
    • November 12th: Frankenstein (1818) Preface-Ch. 8
    • November 17th: Frankenstein (1818) Ch. 9-Ch. 16
    • November 19th: Frankenstein (1818) Ch. 17-Ch. 24
    • November 3rd: Planet of the Apes. (1964) Ch. 1-17
    • November 5th: Planet of the Apes (1964) Ch. 18-26
    • October 13th: Collins & Pinch’s The Golem at Large (Technology), Ch. 5 and 6
    • October 15th: Collins & Pinch’s The Golem at Large (Technology), Ch. 7 and Conclusion
    • October 1st: The Golem at Large Introduction & Ch. 1
    • October 22nd: The Time Machine
    • October 29th: H.G. Wells and Adaptations
    • October 6th: Collins & Pinch’s The Golem at Large (Technology) Ch. 2
    • October 8th: Collins & Pinch’s The Golem at Large (Technology), Ch. 3 & 4
    • September 10th: Science and Technology, a Humanistic Approach
    • September 15th: Collins & Pinch’s The Golem (Science), Ch. 2
    • September 17th: Collins & Pinch’s The Golem (Science), Ch. 3 and 4
    • September 22nd: Collins & Pinch Ch. 5 & 6
    • September 24th: Collins & Pinch Ch. 7 & Conclusion
    • September 29th: Test 1
    • September 8th: Introduction to Class
  • New Media: Gender, Culture, Technology (Spring 2021)
    • February 16: Misunderstanding the Internet
    • February 23rd: Our Public Sphere and the Media
    • February 2nd: Introduction to Cultural Studies
    • January 26th: Introduction to New Media
  • Science Fiction in American Culture (Summer I–2020)
    • Assignments for Science Fiction in American Culture
    • Cultural Studies and Science Fiction Films
    • June 10th: Interstellar and Exploration themes
    • June 11th: Bicentennial Man
    • June 15th: I’m Only Human…Or am I?
    • June 16th: Wall-E and Environment
    • June 17th: Wall-E (2008) and Technology
    • June 18th: Interactivity in Video Games
    • June 1st: Firefly (2002) and Myth
    • June 2nd: “Johnny Mnemonic”
    • June 3rd: “New Rose Hotel”
    • June 4th: “Burning Chrome”
    • June 8th: Conformity and Monotony
    • June 9th: Cultural Constructions of Beauty
    • May 18th: Introduction to Class
    • May 19th: American Culture, an Introduction
    • May 20th: The Matrix
    • May 21st: Gender and Science Fiction
    • May 25th: Goals for I, Robot
    • May 26th: Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot
    • May 27th: Hackers and Slackers
    • May 30th: Inception
  • Teaching Portfolio
  • Topics for Analysis
    • American Culture, an Introduction
    • Feminism, An Introduction
    • Frankenstein Part I
    • Frankenstein Part II
    • Futurism Introduction
    • Langdon Winner Summary: The Politics of Technology
    • Marxist Theory (cultural analysis)
    • Oral Presentations
    • Our Public Sphere
    • Postmodernism Introduction
    • Protesting Confederate Place
    • Punctuation Refresher
    • QT, the Existential Robot
    • Religion of Technology Discussion
    • Rhetoric, an Introduction
      • Analyzing the Culture of Technical Writer Ads
      • Rhetoric of Technology
      • Visual Culture
      • Visual Perception
      • Visual Perception, Culture, and Rhetoric
      • Visual Rhetoric
      • Visuals for Technical Communication
      • World War I Propaganda
    • The Great I, Robot Discussion
      • I, Robot Short Essay Topics
    • The Rhetoric of Video Games: A Cultural Perspective
      • Civilization, an Analysis
    • The Sopranos
    • Why Science Fiction?
    • Zombies and Consumption Satire

Contact Me

Office: Fretwell 280F
Phone: 704.687.0613
Email: atoscano@uncc.edu
Topics for Analysis » QT, the Existential Robot

QT, the Existential Robot

Rationalism vs. Empiricism

These concepts have a long history in philosophy. We will just scratch the surface of the differences and applications of both. For a more thorough discussion, take a Philosophy class. You’ll be a more careful, curious, critical thinker if you do. Throughout our discussion of these terms, rationalism is associated with reason, and empiricism is associated with (direct) observation. In Asimov’s short story “Reason,” QT (Cutie) is a rationalist, and Donovan and Powell are empiricists.*

  • Rationalism: knowledge is derived from deduction based on intuition or assumptions one doesn’t question because they are considered true; they are a priori knowledge.
    • The most famous type of rational argument is the syllogism. A syllogism deduces conclusions based on Major and Minor premises. For example,
    • Major Premise: All men are mortal;
    • Minor Premise: Socrates is a man;
    • Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
  • Empiricism: knowledge is derived by observing the world through sense experience to gather evidence. This is the basis of scientific knowledge—empirical evidence.

Deduction vs. Induction (reasoning)

Broadly speaking, there are two ways to arrive at conclusions, deduction and induction.

  • Deduction is described above and uses general ideas (assumptions) to arrive at specific conclusions.
  • Induction is related to empiricism and starts with specific observations and moves to general probabilities. It doesn’t lead to absolute truth. This method of analysis identifies probable conclusions and is the basis for scientific observations and theories.

Remember, however, no one is a strict anything when it comes to philosophical stances. We don’t strictly adhere to one way to the truth or assumed truth; instead, we often reach conclusions based on context. In other words, we may be more likely to privilege reason and deduction in one circumstance and empiricism and induction in another circumstance. What is important for this class is to try to determine what kind of reasoning particular parties (scientists, engineers, humanoid robots, the monster, etc.) use to reach conclusions. We aren’t going to focus on the conclusion. We are more interested in how (or why) they reached their conclusions.

Asimov, Isaac “Reason” (1941/1946)

From a Biblical example (on American Exceptionalism) to, well, perhaps, quite the opposite. Asimov is certainly making a comment about religion, but it’s not so simply an anti-religious comment. There’s a philosophical debate going on between QT and Powell & Donovan.

Before getting into the religious discussion, think about QT’s position: He’s on a spaceship with no memory of Earth. He recognizes he’s superior to Powell and Donovan, so he starts drawing conclusions that are quite similar to the conclusions those promoting an American exceptionalism ideology draw—we’re better; therefore, we should give orders.

Major Quotations from Asimov’s “Reason”

Below are places in the story that we should remember. I selected ones that had much to say about rationalism vs. empiricism.

  •  p. 319: Theory and reality…“Mathematical squiggles on paper were not always the most comforting protection against robotic fact.”
  • p. 320: QT doubts Donovan and Powell created him…“Call it intuition….I intend to reason it out, though. A chain of valid reasoning can end only with the determination of truth.” {emphasis mine}
  • p. 323: QT, “a robot Descartes!” “I, myself, exist, because I think.”
  • p. 323: Not reasonable to conclude a lesser being created him…“I accept nothing on authority. A hypothesis must be backed by reason, or else it is worthless.”
  • p. 324: “I…am a finished product.”
  • p. 327: QT, the robot prophet…“These are robots—and that means they are reasoning beings. They recognize the Master….They call me the prophet.”
  • p. 329: The Laws of Robotics make QT have a soft side for the humans…“I like you two. You’re inferior creatures, with poor reasoning faculties, but I really feel a sort of affection for you.”
  • p. 330: QT assumes the stars are “optical illusion[s] of our instruments.” After all, “[s]ince when is the evidence of our senses any match for the clear light of rigid reason?” {emphasis mine}
    • If the “facts” don’t fit our a priori assumptions, we’d like to ignore them.
    • Scientists must be open to their initial assumptions being wrong.
  • p. 330: Knowledge… “There are some things…that are not to be probed into by us….I seek only to serve and not question.”
  • p. 332-3: Books aren’t valid for QT. Only reason, not evidence is the way to the truth…“Because I, a reasoning being, am capable of deducing Truth from a priori Causes. You, being intelligent, but unreasoning, need an explanation of existence supplied to you, and this the Master did.”
  • p. 333: Powell notices it’s a lost cause to try to change QT’s mind…“You can prove anything you want by coldly logical reason—if you pick the proper postulates. We have ours and Cutie has his.”
  • p. 333: Confidence is contagious!
  • p. 334: “Postulates are based on assumption and adhered to by faith. Nothing in the Universe can shake them.”
  • p. 336: QT (indirectly) fulfills the 3 Laws of Robotics.

What did QT do when the electronic storm happened?

Interesting Anachronisms, Predictions, and Objects for “Reason’s” future setting

  • p. 321: “Good old Earth. There are three billion of us there.”
    • Current World Population (1/18/2017): over 7.3 Billion.
    • I, Robot, which includes “Reason,” takes place between 2030-2080…not exactly sure.
  • p. 321: “Powell…polished an apple upon his sleeve before biting into it.”
  • p. 322: paperback mystery novel
  • p. 325: almonds
  • p. 335: sheets of paper and file folders
  • p. 318: John W. Campbell was a science fiction writer and more famous as Editor of the sci fi magazine Astounding.

QT as a Metaphor for Human Reason…

This is a reading, an interpretation of many other possible ones, but it will come back in other science fiction texts. The robots in “Reason” and the rest of Asimov’s robot stories (see I, Robot for his most famous ones) are humans. We make up stories about where we come from; we participate in hierarchies for efficiency (or the assumption of efficiency); we create tools to accomplish goals. QT is in space making sure he serves the Master, and Earth gets the energy it needs. We’re here on Earth using mobile phones and don’t need to know anything about satellites, towers, or signals. We’ve seamlessly weaved most technologies into ours lives without having a full understanding of them. Another theme in science fiction this will bring up is the anxiety of not being fully in control of our destinies. Authors create alien invaders with superior technologies to play out these (mostly) unconscious social anxieties.


*However, if you read the entire book I, Robot, you could argue that Donovan and Powell are predominantly rationalists that base their assumptions about robot behavior on intuition. Their intuition, which they use to figure out what’s wrong with the robots, is their knowledge of the 3 Laws of Robotics. That knowledge is a priori. Remember, you’ll need to be able to deal with ambiguity in this class…

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