THE HOME PAGE OF
DANIEL WILLIAM LAWRENCE, PHD
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF WRITING
DEPARTMENT OF WRITING, LANGUAGE, AND LITERATURE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - SUPERIOR
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CLASSICAL RHETORIC
ORIGINS OF TECHNOLOGY
FOLK PHILOSOPHY
DIGITAL MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY STUDIES
WRITING STUDIES
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DANIEL WILLIAM LAWRENCE, PHD is Tenured Associate Professor of Writing in the Department of Writing, Language, and Literature at the University of Wisconsin - Superior. His work applies classical rhetorical principles to technological problems.
His research is now culminating in a new monograph, The Origins of Technology: Environments, Organisms, and Rhetoric. The book identifies core problems in the origins of technology and offers an interdisciplinary framework from evolutionary biology and neurobiology to explain the concurrent independent development of human technologies. By blending modern science with the humanities, the book resolves key issues in our understanding of technological origins. The book argues that our present understanding of the origins of technology fails to account for the non-arbitrary, material origins of technology.
His peer-reviewed research on writing, technology, and rhetoric appears in Teaching Reading and Writing in the Era of Fake News, Online Credibility and Digital Ethos: Evaluating Computer-Mediated Communication, Harlot: A Revealing Look at the Arts of Persuasion, among other places.
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BOOKS
Lawrence, Daniel.Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web. Broadview Press. 2nd Edition. 2026 (Forthcoming)
Lawrence, Daniel. Disinformed: The History of Humanity’s Search for Truth. Urano Publishing. 2024.
Lawrence, Daniel. Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web. Broadview Press. 1st Edition. 2022.
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COURSES IN ROTATION
WRIT 498-003 Independent Study - The Origins of Technology
WRIT 450: Special Topics - The Nonfiction Book Proposal
WRIT 411: Writing and Artificial Intelligence
WRIT 409: Digital Writing
WRIT 401: Advanced Rhetoric - Theory and Practice
WRIT 309: Technical Writing
WRIT 303: Introduction to Rhetoric
WRIT 209: Professional and Business Writing
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REVIEWS
“Digital Writing will open a lot of eyes to the subtle arts of persuasion employed at every turn of the average person’s daily digital life, arming them with the resource to be more intentional in their participation and more sophisticated in their response.”
— Andrew McLuhan, author of written matter (Revelore Press, 2021)
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“In Digital Writing, Dan Lawrence skillfully blends ancient rhetorical concepts and contemporary philosophical thought with the pragmatic theories and best practices of the digital age. In this concise, accessible text, Lawrence speaks not only to students who aspire to writing careers, but also to teachers whose pedagogical development necessitates a nuanced understanding of the theories and machinations that underpin the digital world. Lawrence’s experience as a digital practitioner, his skill as a teacher, and the sophistication of his reflections permeate the book and promise to enrich the field of digital writing.” — Karla Saari Kitalong, Professor Emerita, Michigan Technological University
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“Dan Lawrence’s book Digital Writing comes as an excellent resource for anyone writing for digital channels or interested in exploring how technologies can assist their businesses and professions. As a media theorist and writer, Lawrence loaded this book with advice that will serve digital writers; professional writers; business communicators; students; instructors of business, technical, and professional communication; and those curious about getting careers in digital writing.… Even though there are many digital writing books on the market, this one stands out because the author provides frameworks, practical examples, and exercises that help readers connect better to the text … [and he] encourages readers to address ethical issues, audience concerns, and medium choice…. [A]n excellent tool for its audience.” — Dorcas A. Anabire, Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
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PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP & PRESS
“What can the Ancient Greeks teach us about the 2024 US presidential election?”
“UW-Superior associate professor releases new book to combat disinformation.”
Cox, Lorin. “What history can teach us about combating disinformation problems of today: UW-Superior professor argues bad actors have been manipulating communication for thousands of years.” Wisconsin Public Radio Interview. June 21, 2024.
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RESEARCH INTERESTS
Classical Rhetoric, Origins of Technology, Digital Media Theory, Philosophy of Technology
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RESEARCH STREAMS
Rhetoric: For thousands of years, humans have struggled with the relationship between truth, lies, reality, and language. These issues are exacerbated by global, technological communication. Rhetorical and philosophical education empower us to make sense of the endless stream of messages in our lives.
Technology: Through understanding the origins of technology in our natural world, we can better understand humanity’s relationship to technology, and build better technological environments to chart a more prosperous and meaningful path forward for the well-being of the human species.
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LINKS
Google Scholar Profile: Daniel William Lawrence, PhD
ORCID ID: 0009-0003-4828-097X
Home page: https://danielwilliamlawrence.net
Faculty page: https://uwsuper.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/lawrence-daniel/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/danielwilliamlawrence
YouTube: https://youtube.com/drdanlawrence
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WRITING PROGRAM
Take courses with Dr. Lawrence on-campus and fully online with the BA in Writing at the University of Wisconsin - Superior. You can earn a BA in Writing fully online with the program.
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CONTACT
Media inquiries: I occasionally provide scholarly commentary to the media on contemporary issues such as digital disinformation, artificial intelligence, social media and society, and new and emerging technologies. I frame these issues with insights from the classical tradition, studies from modern scientific literature, and a zoomed-out, long-horizon perspective. Feel free to contact me via e-mail.
Prospective students: Please reach out if you have any questions about our BA in Writing program.
All other inquiries: Feel free to reach out, but please give me a few days to respond. I’m probably grading papers.
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LAST UPDATED
SAT, APRIL 18, 2026 12:38PM
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