Final answer:
The five canons of rhetoric, which include arrangement, style, and memorization, were defined by the Roman philosopher Cicero. Cicero's work on rhetoric not only shaped Latin language and grammar but also laid down the foundational principles of Western communication. The correct answer to the student's question is b. Cicero.
Step-by-step explanation:
As Bahij prepares his speech, focusing on arrangement, style, and memorization, he is engaging with three of the five canons of rhetoric. The individual responsible for defining these canons is none other than the ancient Roman philosopher, orator, and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero.
While Aristotle was indeed central in developing the concept of rhetoric as a means of persuasion, it was Cicero who expanded upon Aristotle's work and explicitly delineated the five canons. These canons include invention (the process of developing arguments), arrangement (organizing the arguments for extreme effect), style (determining how to present the arguments), memory (the practice of memorizing the speech), and delivery (the physical and vocal presentation of the speech).
Cicero's works had a profound impact on the Latin language and were instrumental in transmitting Hellenistic philosophy to Rome. His insights into rhetoric have been influential in shaping Western communicative strategies to this day. Thus, it is thanks to Cicero's intellectual legacy that we have a structured approach to constructing and delivering effective speeches, making Bahij's study of arrangement, style, and memorization a direct inheritance of Cicero's teachings.
The correct option in reference to who defined the canons of rhetoric is b. Cicero.