“Paraenesis” is a sophisticated word for a common topic: advice. But it’s not just general advice given by your parents, a teacher, or a well-meaning friend. A paraenesis is a formal composition, likely presented in an essay or speech, with exhortatory content (“exhortatory” describing language giving advice or counsel). The word comes from the Greek “parainein,” meaning “to advise.” History is full of examples of paraenesis, from the Book of Proverbs to Alexander Pope’s philosophical treatise “An Essay on Man,” as well as more modern examples such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech and the countless commencement addresses from notable figures.