On Rhetoric & a Rhetorical Question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art and study of the use of language with persuasive effect. In Aristotle's systematization of rhetoric, one important aspect of rhetoric to study and theorize was the three persuasive audience appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos, as well as the five canons of rhetoric: invention or discovery, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. Along with grammar and logic or dialectic, rhetoric is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. From ancient Greece to the late 19th Century, it was a central part of Western education, filling the need to train public speakers and writers to move audiences to action with arguments.^[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply.^[1] Rhetorical questions encourage the listener to think about what the (often obvious) answer to the question must be. When a speaker states, "How much longer must our people endure this injustice?", no formal answer is expected. Rather, it is a device used by the speaker to assert or deny something. (e.g.: "Why me?") While amusing and often humorous, rhetorical questions are rarely meant for pure, comedic effect. A carefully crafted question can, if delivered well, persuade an audience to believe in the position(s) of the speaker.^[2]

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Rhetoric

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. Rhetoric A play with words... Rhetoric is the art of using language as a means to persuade. Along with grammar and logic or dialectic, rhetoric is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. From ancient Greece to the late 19th Century, it was a central part of Western education, filling the need to train public speakers and writers to move audiences to action with arguments. The very act of defining has itself been a central part of rhetoric, appearing among Aristotle's Topics. The word is derived from the Greek’s "oratorical", "public speaker", related to, "that which is said or spoken, word, saying", and ultimately derived from the verb, "to speak, say". In its broadest sense, rhetoric concerns human discourse. ~ more can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric .

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. rhetoric noun noun: rhetoric the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques. "he is using a common figure of rhetoric, hyperbole" synonyms:  oratory, eloquence, power of speech, command of language, expression,way with words, delivery, diction. "he was considered to excel in this form of rhetoric" language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect, but which is often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content. "all we have from the Opposition is empty rhetoric" synonyms:  bombast, loftiness, turgidity, grandiloquence, magniloquence,ornateness, portentousness, pomposity, boastfulness, boasting,bragging, heroics, hyperbole, extravagant language, purple prose,pompousness, sonorousness;windiness, wordiness, verbosity, prolixity; informalhot air; raretumidity, fustian, euphuism, orotundity. .

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