of [its] theory applicable to several disciplines."²³ Semiotics, which can be defined either as "the science of the life of signs in society" or as "the study of everything in a culture as a form of communication," is one of the most widely known multidisciplinary approaches.²⁴ Socio-rhetorical criticism functions within the multidisciplinary presuppositions of "social semiotics."²⁵ The primary interest is in "distinction," not "opposition."²⁶ The bias is dialogical rather than dualistic as it seeks similarities and differences that both interrelate and differentiate phenomena. Mikhail Bakhtin presents a congenial voice as he perceives language to be always already in dialogue with other socio-ideologically located voices.²⁷ In other words, the language a person uses comes from previous or contemporary usage by people in various social environments. Thus, any particular use of language is a dialogue that interrelates and differentiates people, practices, and thoughts.

Socio-rhetorical criticism is not only grounded in the multidisciplinary approach of social semiotics, but it employs transdisciplinary approaches. A transdisciplinary approach has a certain autonomy outside established institutions and is often perceived as based on "fact" or something "obvious." But such an approach is not integrated within a determined discipline.²⁸ Bal considers thematic approaches to be transdisciplinary, because they cross "the boundaries of different disciplines unimpeded and without being excluded from the academic community."²⁹ The basic bias of thematic approaches is "the postulate of unity."³⁰ Socio-rhetorical criticism uses thematic approaches as it explores similarities among groups, traditions, and texts in Mediterranean society and culture. Other transdisciplinary approaches are based on differentiation. Various gender approaches are representative, and the differentiating bias leads naturally to an "appeal," in the search for differences, "to different disciplines at precise moments of the analysis."³¹ Socio-rhetorical criticism uses differentiating strategies as it uncovers and postulates distinctive configurations of meaning and action in and around the texts under consideration.

In the midst of favorable reviews of Teacher as a "ground-breaking contribution," the aspect of socio-rhetorical criticism that uses transdisciplinary strategies of interpretation has brought criticism from some reviewers. Paul Maier's review is a prime instance. On the one hand, he referred to some of the "parallels" in Teacher as "striking," like: "Xenophon and Mark both portraying the teacher (Socrates and Jesus, respectively) as accepting a sentence of death required by the deity, through a legal process involving the local court system--an unjust death which will be remembered. Dio Chrysostom, in another example, tells of Persians at one of their feasts taking a condemned prisoner to 'give him royal apparel: ... But after that they strip him and scourge him and then hang him.'"