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arXiv · 2604.06754

The Rhetoric of Machine Learning

Robert C. Williamson
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Abstract

I examine the technology of machine learning from the perspective of rhetoric, which is simply the art of persuasion. Rather than being a neutral and "objective" way to build "world models" from data, machine learning is (I argue) inherently rhetorical. I explore some of its rhetorical features, and examine one pervasive business model where machine learning is widely used, "manipulation as a service."

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Robert C. Williamson. 2026-04-08. The Rhetoric of Machine Learning. https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.06754

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