Ethos, Pathos, LogosEthos, Pathos, Logos

College WritingCollege Writing

Rhetorical TriangleRhetorical Triangle

Speaker/ Communicator Speaker/ Communicator (Ethos)(Ethos)

The “The “rhetorrhetor” (speaker)” (speaker) Each and every speaker brings:Each and every speaker brings:

Own opinions and biases and Own opinions and biases and experiencesexperiences

Limitations of knowledge and languageLimitations of knowledge and language Distinct voice or Distinct voice or personapersona Quintilian (Roman rhetorician) speaker Quintilian (Roman rhetorician) speaker

should be “good man speaking well”should be “good man speaking well” Emphasis on good characterEmphasis on good character

EthosEthos

Ethical Appeals (ethos) Ethical Appeals (ethos)

sense you (author) gives as being sense you (author) gives as being competent/fair/authority competent/fair/authority •trustworthiness trustworthiness •credibility credibility •reliability reliability •expert testimony expert testimony •reliable sources reliable sources •fairness fairness

Audience/ Reader (Pathos)Audience/ Reader (Pathos)

Speculating about the reader’s Speculating about the reader’s expectations, knowledge, and expectations, knowledge, and disposition with regard to the disposition with regard to the subject writers exploresubject writers explore

Writers ‘invent’ or make-up Writers ‘invent’ or make-up audience when one is not presentedaudience when one is not presented Self can be an audienceSelf can be an audience

PathosPathos

Emotional Appeals (pathos) Emotional Appeals (pathos)

appeal to beliefs and feelingsappeal to beliefs and feelingshigher emotions higher emotions •belief in fairness belief in fairness •love love •pity pity lower emotions lower emotions •greed greed •lust lust •revenge revenge •Aavarice Aavarice •

Text/ Message (Logos)Text/ Message (Logos)

Evaluate what the speaker knows, Evaluate what the speaker knows, examines perspectives, and examines perspectives, and determines evidence or proofs to determines evidence or proofs to support claimssupport claims The “text” does not speak The “text” does not speak

independently of the speaker and independently of the speaker and audienceaudience

Make clear, reasonable premises + Make clear, reasonable premises + proofsproofs

Logos:Logos:

Rational Appeals (logos) Rational Appeals (logos)

appeal to logical reasoning ability of readers appeal to logical reasoning ability of readers •facts facts •case studies case studies •statistics statistics •experiments experiments •logical reasoning logical reasoning •analogies analogies •anecdotes anecdotes •authority voices authority voices

Rhetorical Triangle Omissions:Rhetorical Triangle Omissions:

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Inductive vs. Deductive ReasoningInductive vs. Deductive Reasoning((The Informed Argument p. 440The Informed Argument p. 440))

Inductive ReasoningInductive Reasoning Progresses from specific Progresses from specific

to generalto general Draw a conclusion based Draw a conclusion based

on evidenceon evidence Allows you to argue how Allows you to argue how

specific evidence leads to specific evidence leads to your conclusion you are your conclusion you are arguingarguing

Because of all of the bank Because of all of the bank and credit failures, it is and credit failures, it is necessary for the federal necessary for the federal government to intervene.government to intervene.

Deductive ReasoningDeductive Reasoning Leads from a Leads from a

generalization (major generalization (major premise) to a specific premise) to a specific case (minor premise) case (minor premise) and then on to a and then on to a conclusion.conclusion.

Blue sky, sunny Blue sky, sunny conditions, people conditions, people swimming = conclusion swimming = conclusion that it is a nice day.that it is a nice day.

Based on a fundamental Based on a fundamental truth, value or right truth, value or right rather than evidencerather than evidence..

Key TermsKey Terms premisepremise—the underlying value or belief —the underlying value or belief

that one assumes as a given truth at the that one assumes as a given truth at the beginning of an argument.beginning of an argument.

ConcessionConcession—giving in to the other side—giving in to the other side SyllogismSyllogism—A 3-stage form of deductive —A 3-stage form of deductive

reasoning through which a general truth reasoning through which a general truth yields a specific conclusion.yields a specific conclusion. Premise APremise A: John is a person.: John is a person. Premise BPremise B: People have hearts.: People have hearts. ConclusionConclusion: Therefore, John has a heart.: Therefore, John has a heart.