Persuasion is studied in many disciplines. Rhetoric is the study of modes of persuasion in speech and writing, and is often taught as a classical subject.[5]:46 Psychology looks at persuasion through the lens of individual behaviour[6] and neuroscience studies the brain activity associated with this behaviour.[7] History and political sciences are interested in the role of propaganda in shaping historical events.[8] In business, persuasion is a process aimed at changing a person's (or a group's) attitude or behaviour toward some event, idea, object, or other person(s), by using written, spoken words or visual tools to convey information, feelings, or reasoning, or a combination thereof.[9] Persuasion is also an often used tool in the pursuit of personal gain, such as election campaigning, giving a sales pitch,[10] or in trial advocacy. Persuasion can also be interpreted as using one's personal or positional resources to change people. <p>The academic study of persuasion began with the Greeks, who emphasized rhetoric and elocution as the highest standard for a successful politician. All trials were held in front of the Assembly, and both the prosecution and the defense rested on the persuasiveness of the speaker.[11] Rhetoric was the ability to find the available means of persuasion in any instance.</p> <p>The Greek philosopher Aristotle listed four reasons why one should learn the art of persuasion:</p> <ul> <li>truth and justice are perfect; thus if a case loses, it is the fault of the speaker</li> <li>it is an excellent tool for teaching</li> <li>a good rhetorician needs to know how to argue both sides to understand the whole problem and all the options, and</li> <li>there is no better way to defend one's self.</li> </ul>