Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

1. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos Appeals in Argument

2. Argumentative Writing/Speech • Goal: to persuade your audience that your ideas are valid, or more valid than someone else's. • The Greek philosopher Aristotle divided the means of persuasion, appeals, into three categories--Ethos, Pathos, Logos.

3. Aristotle taught there are 3 main strategies in an argument • Logos/Logical • Ethos/Credibility • Pathos/Emotional

4. Author’s Purpose Logos Ethos Pathos Rhetorical Chart The core of the rhetorical chart is purpose—What does the author/speaker cartoonist/filmmaker/advertiser want the reader/listener/viewer to Feel? Think? Do?

5. Ethos: Ethical Appealsthe source's credibility, the speaker's/author's authority • How well an author/speaker presents him/herself • Questions for considering a writer’s ethos: • Does he or she seem knowledgeable? Reasonable? Trustworthy? • Does he or she treat their opponents with fairness and respect or do they take cheap shots? • Does he or she try and establish common ground with the reader/audience?

6. Ethos-Credibility • Appeals to the conscience, ethics, morals, standards, values, and principles. • Author or speaker tries to convince you he is of good character. • Qualified to make his claims. • Cites relevant authorities. • Quotes others accurately and fairly.

7. Examples of Ethos "If, in my low moments, in word, deed or attitude, through some error of temper, taste, or tone, I have caused anyone discomfort, created pain, or revived someone's fears, that was not my truest self. If there were occasions when my grape turned into a raisin and my joy bell lost its resonance, please forgive me. Charge it to my head and not to my heart. My head--so limited in its finitude; my heart, which is boundless in its love for the human family. I am not a perfect servant. I am a public servant doing my best against the odds."(Jesse Jackson, Democratic National Convention Keynote Address, 1984)

8. Pathos: Emotional Appealsthe emotional or motivational appeals; vivid language, emotional language and numerous sensory details. • How well the author taps into the audiences emotions • Questions for considering a author’s pathos: • Does the topic matter to the audience? • Does the author include anecdotes? • Does the author appeal to your emotions, memories, fears, etc.? • Is the emotional appeal effective or overwhelming? • Is the writing/speech overloaded with facts and figures?

9. Pathos-Emotional Appeal • heart, • Emotions, • Sympathy, • Passions, • Sentimentality, • Uses imagery, figurative language, • Carefully constructed sentences.

10. Example of Pathos "Hillary Clinton used a moment of brilliantly staged emotion to win the New Hampshire Democratic primary . . .. As she answered questions in a diner on the morning before the election, Mrs. Clinton's voice began to waver and crack when she said: 'It's not easy. . . . This is very personal for me.'

11. Logos: Logical Appealthe logic used to support a claim; can also be the facts and statistics used to help support the argument. • How well the author uses text and evidence to support own argument or claims. Should be well organized. • Questions for considering a author’s logos: • What is being argued or what is the author’s thesis? • What points does the author offer to support his/her thesis? • Are ideas presented logically?

12. LOGOS-Logical Argument • Involves facts or • Research • Quoted authorities • Cause and Effect information • Analogies or comparisons • Common sense information • Shared values • Precedents

13. Example of Logos • Rational choice theory in political science has made much of the fact that it is seemingly irrational to vote in a large-scale election. This is because the probability that your single vote will determine the outcome is generally very close to zero, while the act of voting entails some small but real costs. Even in a close election like Florida in 2000, an individual’s vote would really “count” only if the margin of victory was exactly one vote.3

14. Graham Hill: Less stuff, more happiness | Video on TED.com

15. Did the speaker use Ethos, Pathos or Logos? Explain with examples. Graham Hill uses logos to persuade his audience. First, he begins with statistics to hook the audience. For instance, he states that we now have 3 times more space than 30 years ago, but we still need extra storage. He then uses cause and effect by showing that more stuff equals more debt, CO2, and stress. Next, he uses evidence to support his argument: edit, think small, and multi-functionality. Finally, he suggests a shared value with the audience when he asks “how life editing would help you?”

16. Was it effective? Would one of the other forms of rhetoric been more effective? Explain. Graham Hill’s use of logos is effective because he uses relevant evidence to support his argument, and gives valid cause and effect examples. However, his argument could be made stronger through some use of pathos, to play on the emotional guilt the audience would suffer from materialism and hurting the environment.

17. What was the speaker’s main idea? What were 3 pieces of evidence that helped the speaker prove his main idea true? Hill’s main idea was that we should all “edit” our lives to include less material items, and utilize less space. He supported his argument by stating that more stuff causes more stress, gave examples of how having less stuff is realistic, and then stated that we would benefit by saving money and being happier.

18. Was the speaker impartial or fair to the subject? Did he/she have an agenda? Explain with examples. Mostly, Hill was fair to the subject, because he provided reliable evidence. However, he was also promoting his “Life Edited” project; therefore, he was somewhat bias. Also, he did not address the cost of the multi-functional furniture and systems in his 420 square foot apartment. For instance, how much will it cost us to install a moving wall?

19. Grade the speaker and explain in a paragraph. Graham Hill deserves a B for his speech. He did a good job hooking the audience and using logos to persuade the audience. It would be difficult for the audience to question any of his evidence. However, his speech would be stronger if he used some pathos and also, showed examples of affordable multi-functional spaces, so a more diverse audience could see how to benefit from editing their lives.

20. Questions and Break