Rhetorical Proofs and Fallacies

1. Rhetorical Proofs and Fallacies Week 10 – Wednesday, October 28

2. QUIZ • What is the mnemonic device the text provides to help you remember the logical proofs? • Which proof does a cause-and-effect argument appeal to? • What is another name for a cause-and-effect argument? • What are two examples of things an author might do to build credibility (or, to use arguments from authority)? • What are two types of emotional proofs?

3. QUIZ - answers • What is the mnemonic device the text provides to help you remember the logical proofs? SICDADS (Sign, Induction, Cause, Deduction, Analogy, Definition, Statistics) • Which proof does a cause-and-effect argument appeal to? Logos • What is another name for a cause-and-effect argument? Argument from cause

4. What are two examples of things an author might do to build credibility (or, to use arguments from authority)? 1. Refer to their credentials/experience that establish their own expertise 2. Quote others who are experts • What are two types of emotional proofs? motivational and value proofs

5. Rhetorical Proofs Logos, Ethos, and Pathos – Aristotelian proofs, or appeals The “appeals” as we call them – not strategies, but they can be distinguished by the type of strategy that’s used • Logical/Logos • Argument from sign – visible sign to prove either certainty or probability of a claim • Argument from generalization/example (induction) – “uses examples to lead into a claim or generalization about the examples” (Wood 144) • Argument from cause (or a cause-and-effect argument) – develops a cause/effect situation (either the whole text or one aspect of the argument) • Argument from principle (deduction) – starts with a general principle, applies to an example, and draws a conclusion

6. Argument from analogy – explains that something we don’t know about in terms of something we do know about • Historical (similar cases) – connects now to the past • Literal (same category) – compares two things from the same category and connects what happened in one case could happen in the other case (similarities/differences) • Figurative (different categories) – similar to metaphor, which compares to unlike things • only works when used to “identify real qualities that are shared by both items and that can then be applied to help prove the claim logically” (Wood 146) • Argument from definition – using specific definitions of key terms to argue about a subject

7. Argument from statistics – uses quantitative data to support a claim • Credibility/Ethos • Argument from authority • Describe their own credentials or experience • Uses quotes from experts • Emotional/Pathos • Motivational – motivate people to change • Political speech, product ads • Value • Describes what everyone supposedly values

8. Language • Logos – uses rational and often denotative language (words that are not likely to have connotations that vary by individuals and groups) • Ethos – uses language that is: • appropriate for the audience and context (no jargon, slang, colloquial language) • Correct grammar and editing (lack of these, and inappropriate vocabulary can destroy ethos)

9. Pathos – language that appeals to pathos includes: • Emotionally loaded language (draws on connotative meaning) • Emotional examples • Vivid description • Narrative of emotional event(s) • Emotional tone, including irony and sarcasm • Figurative analogies

10. See Box 7.1 in Essentials of Argument (154) for a brief overview of these types of proofs and how language and style might be used in argument

11. Fallacies Fallacy: the use of faulty reasoning and bad evidence; the use of ineffective proofs Logical Fallacies – Wood urges you to focus on the “fallacious thinking” of these fallacies rather than worry about the exact names (but you will be expected to use the appropriate terms in your paper if you identify any of these fallacies). • Begging the Question • Red Herring • Non Sequitur

12. Straw Man • Misusing Evidence • Either-Or • Post Hoc • Hasty Generalization

13. Fallacies That Damage Ethos • Ad Hominem • Guilt by Association • Using Authority Instead of Evidence • Emotional Fallacies • Bandwagon Appeal • Slippery Slope • Creating False Needs