Journal 3/16/12

Think of your favorite commercial. What do you like about it? What makes it your favorite? Who is in it?What is said or shown? Does it make you want to buy that product?

Rhetoric = The Art of Persuasion

Who was Aristotle?Aristotle was a famous Greek

philosopher who studied the

art of persuasion.

Aristotle taught Alexander the Great how to properly argue and

perform a public speech.

Plato, another famous Greek

philosopher, was his teacher.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Aristotle

Plato

In approximately 300 B.C.E. Aristotle, who was a famous Greek philosopher, wrote a book entitled, “The Art of Rhetoric.” In his book, Aristotle identified the

three methods of persuasion. He called them ethos, pathos, and logos.

The Book

Ethos, Pathos, & Logos

There are several ways to appeal to an audience. Among them are appealing to ethos, pathos, and logos.

These appeals are prevalent in almost all arguments.

Ethos• Greek word ETHIKOS meaning moral or

showing moral character

• Speaker must establish moral credibility in the minds of audience, must show he/she has expertise in the subject matter

For example, when a trusted doctor gives you advice, you may not understand all of the medical reasoning behind the advice, but you nonetheless follow the directions because you believe that the doctor knows what he/she is talking about. 

• Ethos = Ethics: refers to the trustworthiness of the speaker/writer.  

• Ethos is an effective persuasive strategy because when we believe that the speaker does not intend to do us harm, we are more willing to listen to what s/he has to say.   

• We base our opinion on the reputation of the speaker.

When a judge comments on legal precedent audiences tend to listen because it is the job of a judge to

know the nature of past legal cases.

Ethos - cont’d

 

How is this ethos?

 

How is this ethos?

Pathos• Pathos: related to the words pathetic,

sympathy, and empathy.  • Accept a claim based on how it makes you

feel without fully analyzing the rationale behind the claim

• May persuade you with fear, love, patriotism, guilt, hate or joy.

• Society should not react to emotional arguments without fully considering all of the facts. 

• The use of pathos can be manipulative• It is the cornerstone of moving people to

action and it will continue to be used again and again.

• Appeals to pathos touch a nerve and compel people to not only listen, but to also take the next step and act in the world.

Pathos – cont’d

• Pathos is the use of emotional appeal.

• Both words and pictures can achieve this appeal. 

These print advertisements are meant to appeal to your emotions. Who can say no to

these faces?

How is this pathos?

How is this pathos?

Logos• Logos = logical appeal• Logos refers to any attempt to

appeal to the intellect.• Logos appeals to the left side

of the audience's brain.  The audience finds certain patterns, conventions and modes of reasoning to be convincing and persuasive. 

• The audience relies on reasoning and facts to make its decision.  Numbers, polls and statistics are also examples of the persuasive use of logic. 

Logos• The Mac vs. PC ads use logos

because they give specific reasons that people should own a Mac instead of a PC.

• The type of logos that these ads use is deductive reasoning. The deductive reasoning use is: I am familiar with and like using a PC. A Mac can operate the same programs as a PC. I am familiar with and like using a Mac. Some added bonuses are the fact that a Mac is more resistant to viruses and it has more program capabilities (such as graphics programs) than a PC.

• These ads are very logical in the way they approach their explanations of why a Mac is better than a PC.

How is this logos?

How is this logos?

REVIEWEthos, Pathos, & Logos

1. Ethos = an ethical or moral argument

2. Pathos = an emotional argument

3. Logos = a logical argument

Now you identify which rhetorical device…

Ethos, Pathos, & Logos

Now you identify which rhetorical device…

Ethos, Pathos, & Logos

Now you identify which rhetorical device…

Ethos, Pathos, & Logos

Now you identify which rhetorical device…Ethos, Pathos, & Logos

Old Major’s speechEthos, Pathos, & Logos

Revisit Old Major’s speech and answer the following

1.Identify the rhetorical appeals

2.Quote each passage that can be identified as ethos, pathos, or logos

3.Explain how each is ethos, pathos or logos.