Redefining Rhetoric at the Edge: A Dynamic and Ethical Concept Beyond Boundary Theory

Executive Summary

This work advances a Japanese-origin rhetoric theory that reconceptualizes communication as an embodied, asymmetric, and risk‑laden act. Centered on the metaphor of “walking along the top of a prison wall,” the theory highlights the precariousness and ethical tension inherent in high‑stakes communication, where a single misunderstanding can lead to irreversible consequences. Departing from Western boundary‑based models, it emphasizes movement, temporality, and the lived bodily experience of navigating danger. The definition is intentionally unfinished, functioning as a Socratic question that evolves with readers, situations, and historical moments. By integrating risk, embodiment, and ethical responsibility into the core of rhetorical practice, this work offers a rare non‑Western conceptual framework that expands the global rhetorical canon and provides new tools for understanding communication in technical, scientific, and human–AI environments.

Background and Purpose

This work presents Hideki Kataoka’s redefinition of rhetoric through the metaphor of “walking along the top of a prison wall.” Unlike Western boundary‑based models, this definition is inherently three‑dimensional, embodied, asymmetric, and temporal. It captures the ethical tension and risk inherent in communication, especially in technical contexts where misunderstanding can lead to catastrophic consequences. The definition is intentionally unfinished and must remain so, functioning as a Socratic question that evolves with the reader, the situation, and the age. The article integrates the historical maturation of the concept (2018–2026), beginning with its initial emergence in Kataoka’s 2018 book 英文テクニカルライティング 読み手の心を動かすレトリック入門, and situates it within classical rhetoric, critical rhetoric, and technical communication studies.

Field: 

Humanities – Rhetoric and Composition / Humanities – Philosophy, Ethics / Humanities – Linguistics / Social Sciences – Media and Communications / Social Sciences – Science and Technology Studies (STS)

Keywords:

Edge Rhetoric; Rhetoric at the Edge; Risk Rhetoric; Japanese-origin rhetoric; embodied communication; ethical tension; high-stakes communication; technical communication; human–AI interaction; communication failure; metaphor theory; non-Western rhetorical theory; boundary and edge; poststructural rhetoric

Related works:

Kataoka, H. (2026). SSJ: Speed–Struggle–Joy as a Universal Behavioral Framework.            https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18512272

Kataoka, H. (2026). Carnegie vs SSJ: A Comparative Analysis of Principles and Ethical Foundations. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18652745

Kataoka, H. (2025). The 10 Rhetorics®: A Modular Framework for Cross‑Intelligence Communication. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18325183

Kataoka, H. (2024). Foundations of Technorhetoric: From NASA Collaboration to Global Framework. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18750767

Kataoka, H. (2026). The Historical Development and AI-Era Significance of Technorhetoric.      https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18615291