Argument & Persuasion

Think of your favorite commercial. What do you like about it? What makes it your

favorite? Does it make you want to buy that product?

Rhetoric = The Art of Persuasion

The history of rhetoric and the concepts of

ethos, pathos, and logos began in Greece.

Aristotle was a famous Greek philosopher. Literally translated from Greek, the word

“philosopher” means one who loves wisdom.

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.

1. Ethos = an ethical or moral argument

2. Pathos = an emotional argument

3. Logos = a logical argument

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 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.   

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

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.

• The use of pathos can be manipulative• 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. 

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

appeal to the intellect.• Appeals to the left side of the

brain.  People find certain patterns, conventions and modes of reasoning to be convincing and persuasive. 

• Relies on reasoning and facts.  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.

REVIEWEthos, Pathos, & Logos

1. Ethos = an ethical or moral argument

2. Pathos = an emotional argument

3. Logos = a logical argument

Practice

• Using a magazine, go through the advertisements and find one that represents each rhetorical strategy

• STAPLE your three ads together and LABEL each of them

• Put your ads (with your NAME on them) in the bin, and the used magazines on my desk

Other Persuasive Terms

• Ad hominem: means “to the man.” Does not argue the issue, it argues the person

• Red Herring: A deliberate attempt to divert attention

• Straw Man: Creates the illusion of having refuted a proposition by substituting a similar, but weaker, proposition

• Begging the Question: Assumes a conclusion is true without proving it. Also called a circular argument.

Examples

• Ad hominem: “Green Peace’s strategies aren’t effective because they’re all hippies.”

• Red Herring: “I know your car isn’t working right, but if you had gone to the store the day before, you wouldn’t be having problems.”

Other Examples

• Straw Man: “The government doesn’t take care of the poor because it doesn’t have a tax to support the poor.”

• Begging the Question: “Tobacco has been shown to be as addictive as heroin and thus should be treated as a dangerous drug.”