Objective Writing
Is it
really possible to be objective? To compose a piece of writing, without putting
even a small bit of bias, feeling or personal insight on a topic. People will
argue that it is possible, but my personal standpoint is simply, no. I do not
feel that any single person can create a work, without in some way, putting in
their “two cents”. For instance, if someone is giving a position on an
argument, they will in some way, color the words, which add a personal touch to
the argument, thus making the argument non-objective. I do not believe it is
possible to be objective.
Greg, I think your topic is interesting. I do have an idea that might help you. You might want to define what kind of writing you are discussing. If you are talking about academic/scholarly writing, I would say you are right, but if you are talking about technical manuals, probably not. You might want to look into authorial intent (what the author is trying to do) and how he or she would go about trying to be objective. You might also look at what makes a text non objective. Good luck. Let me know if you need any help.
ReplyDeleteGreg, I think I found a source for you. You might want to look up James Berlin, Writing Instruction in Nineteenth-Century American Colleges (book). Look specifically at chapter 6, which elaborates on Current-Traditional Rhetoric, in which one of the expectation of students is to be objective in writing. You might also want to look into other histories of rhetoric during the same time period. At least Berlin can be a jumping off point for you.
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