Final answer:
Burke discourages the study of persuasion as the central rhetorical function because he sees it as just one element of rhetoric's broader function, which includes identification and communication. He emphasizes the complexity of human discourse beyond mere manipulation or one-dimensional argumentation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Burke discourages the study of persuasion as the central rhetorical function because he views persuasion as more complex than just a tool for manipulation or straightforward argumentation. Rather than focusing purely on persuasion, Burke is more concerned with rhetoric as a means of identification and communication between individuals and societies. From this perspective, persuasion is just one element of rhetoric's function and to consider it the whole would reduce the richness of human interaction and discourse.
In the central route to persuasion, it's vital for the audience to be analytical and motivated to engage deeply with the arguments presented, which relies on the quality of the information and logic. Advertisers might use this approach to target audiences like small business owners who are likely to be influenced by detailed information on a product's quality and technical features.
According to some paradigms, such as functionalism, movements like Occupy Wall Street could be seen as undesirable because they disrupt the stability and equilibrium of a society, thus pushing for social change that threatens the existing social order. Persuasive strategies, including questionable tactics like bandwagon or ad hominem attacks, can divert attention from the logical aspects of an argument and seek to convince through other means.