An Introduction to Rhetorical Appeals Pathos, Ethos, & Logos An Introduction to Rhetorical Appeals

Rhetorically Speaking... The art of speaking or writing persuasively

Persuasive Techniques ARISTOTLE’S RHETORICAL APPEALS: Pathos Ethos Logos

persuading by appealing to emotions of audience Pathos persuading by appealing to emotions of audience Most powerful appeal? As a culture, do we trust our mind more than our heart or “gut”?

Pathos Appeal to emotion? Often causes physical stirrings “chill down spine” “pit of stomach” Resonates with deepest morals and values of audience

Pathos Words and images evoke emotion May move audience to sympathize or even act on emotions Make people hate something, and they will rally against it Make people feel secure or happy, and they’ll buy products that promise those feelings

How “they” use pathos Using Emotions to Build Bridges Connect with audience Assures audience that they understand experiences “Feel their pain” Very important when discussing sensitive issues Useful when audience agrees with logical claims Also useful when audience doesn’t agree When used correctly, can create a sense of trust

Using Pathos Using Emotion to Sustain an Argument Makes logical claims stronger Using photos to add power to argument Terri Schiavo If too much emotion is used, you may offend War pictures Abortion images

Using Pathos Using Humor Caution with humor: not always well-received Puts audience at ease Thus, more open to a proposal or discussion Promotes smiles over reflection Will and Grace– controversial, yet extremely popular Caution with humor: not always well-received Ridicule Humor may be the most difficult example pathos to handle

Defining Rhetorical Appeals Each of the cartoon strips following an appeal uses a different rhetorical appeal. Attempt to define the rhetorical appeal by answering the following questions: How is this cartoon strip trying to persuade me? What specific words or strategies do they use to persuade me to buy their product?

Pathos

Pathos How is this ad trying to make you feel? Pathos is the appeal to our emotions. A successful appeal to our emotions makes us feel something in hopes of making us want to act on that feeling.

Ethos persuading by appealing to the the trustworthiness or credibility of the presenter Much depends on not how author presents self, but on how he/she/it is perceived Before we listen to someone, we must respect them or admire their integrity Establishing ethos is not a matter of seeming likeable or honest, but also of affirming an identity and sharing values with the intended audience

Ethos Importance of choosing audience Barack Obama in 2012 elections How do these each up his “cred”?

Ethos: What is Character? Depends on: If a person or group does or does not have the authority to speak to the issue If a person is or is not trustworthy or credible on the issue If a person does or does not have good motives for addressing the subject

Ethos: Claiming Authority Must know how to answer: What does author know about subject? What experiences make them knowledgeable? Why should I pay attention? Ways to claim: State authority outright Job titles Aligning with credible institutions Story/testimony Less obvious claims: Diction Style of writing Tone of voice, etc.

ETHOS

ETHOS Why should you trust this information? Ethos is the appeal to the credibility of the speaker. Essentially, it answers the question, “Why should I trust or believe YOU?”

persuading by appealing to audience through fact, evidence, and reason Logos persuading by appealing to audience through fact, evidence, and reason Related to pathos and ethos We tend to test the facts against our emotions Facts often evoke emotion We won’t trust the facts from a source unless we trust it

Hard evidence: facts Make strong arguments Only if source is trustworthy and honest May be able to stand on their own Citations from respected sources, for example “If NPR makes it, it’s good.”

Hard evidence: statistics Guess what?? facts can lie Even if numbers are accurate, they can be wrongly swayed or interpreted The same stats can be cited as a cause for celebration or shame Every author has a role in giving numbers a voice

Hard evidence: surveys/polls In our culture: very persuasive If the majority sees it one way, that is how it should be done Always question validity Interpretation: Who commissioned it, what was the sample, were they representative of populace, were they randomly chosen?

Hard evidence: testimonies It’s not always just about facts and #s Human experiences are just as valid Detailed descriptions (crime reports) Personal experience (racial profiling) Source must be credible-- ethos Personal revelations Think Oprah, Barbara Walters

Hard evidence: testimonies How does this testimony (used as fact in court) affect Bieber’s ethos? Bieber Gives Attitude Throughout Deposition TMZ ·9,014 videos

LOGOS

LOGOS How does this strip guide our reasoning? Logos is the appeal to logic. When persuading, this technique appeals to your audience’s ability to reason by using facts and logic to guide your thought process.